Bi-functional water-purification materials derived from natural wood modified TiO2 by photothermal effect and photocatalysis

Abstract

As one of the sustainable and renewable materials, the carbonization of natural wood is generally considered as a low-cost, environmentally friendly method to fabricate carbon materials. Natural wood, by surficial carbonization, can possess an excellent photothermal effect, low heat loss, and easy water transportation in the solar water desalination process based on the unique structures, leading to high solar water desalination performance. Here, we design and construct a composite of commercial P25 nanocrystal-loaded semi-spherical wood with surficial carbonization at the semi-spherical end (P25/wC-s-s), which is beneficial for light harvesting and water evaporation due to the semi-spherical structure-induced large surface area. The composite displays bi-functions of high solar-to-vapour energy efficiency and an intriguing photo-degradation efficiency for organic pollutants in the solar water purification process. The research provides a novel approach to engineering an efficient, stable, and low-cost bi-functional device for the photothermal/photoelectronic conversion of water treatment.