From Zero‐Sum Game to Synergistic Gains: Mangrove‐Inspired Self‐Sustaining Evaporator With Ru Single Atom for Coupled Evaporation, Thermoelectricity, and Catalytic Degradation

ABSTRACT In solar‐driven interfacial evaporation integrated systems, functional modules often suffer from intractable energy competition, and a closed‐loop design paradigm capable of self‐powered active core enhancement remains lacking. Inspired by the mangrove ecosystem, this study proposes and validates a bio‐inspired gain strategy termed spatial partitioning–energy feedback, and constructs a self‐sustaining multifunctional evaporator that integrates photothermal evaporation, thermoelectric power generation, electrically enhanced evaporation, and water purification. The device achieves four‐level cascade utilization of solar energy through spatial partitioning. Under 1 sun, the device achieves a passive evaporation rate of 3.42 kg·m − 2 ·h − 1 . Harnessing the evaporation‐driven vertical temperature difference, the device outputs a maximum power of 19.2 mW to drive a fan, which further elevates the evaporation rate to 3.58 kg·m − 2 ·h − 1 , forming a self‐sustaining evaporation–power generation–enhanced evaporation energy cycle. Meanwhile, the Ru single atom (SA)/NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) coating utilizes residual light energy to degrade 98% of organic pollutants in the water body, constituting a synergistic mass–chemistry closed loop. This work demonstrates, for the first time, a self‐sustaining energy feedback loop at the single‐device level, providing a new paradigm for designing the next generation of high‐efficiency integrated evaporation systems.