Synergistic photo-electrothermal evaporation on superhydrophobic carbon cloth for high-efficiency freshwater production and excellent anti-salt fouling

Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) is a novel method to address global freshwater scarcity due to its outstanding energy conversion efficiency, zero carbon emissions, and low operating costs. However, two fundamental shortcomings hinder its implementation: long-term salt deposition on the evaporator surface, which reduces sunlight absorption and vapor evaporation, and the intrinsic intermittency of solar irradiance caused by meteorological uncertainty and day-night fluctuations. To overcome these persistent challenges, we present a novel hydrophobic evaporator composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) blended with graphene nanoplatelet (GnP)-coated carbon cloth, facilitating a dual-mode evaporation process that synergistically enhances photothermal and electrothermal effects. This hybrid technique not only prevents salt crystallization on the photoabsorber surface but also ensures consistent thermal and optical performance, achieving stable freshwater production regardless of solar variations. Under illumination by 1 sun, the system achieves an evaporation rate of seawater of 1.96 ± 0.04037 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ at 64.8% efficiency. Surprisingly, with an applied voltage of 4 V under identical solar input, the evaporation rate increases to 9.46 ± 0.39537 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ at 82% efficiency. The new-generation evaporator demonstrates a robust salt-resistant desalination method that can operate continuously under diurnal and all-weather conditions.