RuO2−MXene nanocomposite coated on bio-degradable loofah sponge for enhanced rate of evaporation in interfacial solar desalination

• 1st demonstration of MXene- RuO 2 for photothermal application. • Performance evaluation of newly built MXene-RuO 2 @LS evaporator. • Representation of improved characteristics of absorptivity, wettability, transmissibility. • Rate of evaporation 1.5 Kgm -2 h -1 under 1 sun illumination for about 1 h. • Total percentage of energy consumption and heat loss from the system 90.85 % and 9.15 % respectively. Worldwide pure drinkable and usable water demand is increasing such as in the regions of Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia majority of the population are facing extreme water scarcity. Among numerous types of solar desalination technologies, interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) has the potential practical applications on wastewater treatments, power generation, sterilization, and soil remediation beyond the application of only on desalination. In this research, MXene@RuO 2 nanocomposite coated on bio-degradable luffa sponge is harnessed where the synthesis of MXene-RuO 2 @LS is done hydrothermally. As ruthenium oxide (RuO 2 ) is a metal oxide with having the capability of ensuring effective surface area by preventing the restacking of MXene which happens due to their inherently high interfacial van der Waals interactions and surface energy. Bio-degradable luffa sponge is the best example of an evaporator with large pore spaces and rigid structure. As a result, the novel MXene-RuO 2 @LS absorber exhibited the rate of evaporation about 1.5 Kgm −2 h −1 under 1 sun illumination for about 1 h. Furthermore, the prepared sample achieved the total energy consumption of 90.85 % with total heat loss of only 9.15 %. UV–Vis characterization was performed with improved absorptivity of 1.2, enhancement of transmittance by FTIR analysis of about 95 %, XRD analysis, SEM image analysis and water contact angle are evaluated as well. In addition, the collected desalinated water is tested where noticeable reduction of major ion concentrations and salinity achieved. All these enhanced results indicate the practical application of interfacial solar desalination.