Bridging solar evaporation and advanced oxidative degradation: A MXene-hydrogel platform for synergistic water treatment

Long, Y; Mao, S; Zhang, XS; Shi, Y; Feng, A; Su, D; Wei, W; Ni, BJ; Fu, Q

Bridging solar evaporation and advanced oxidative degradation: A MXene-hydrogel platform for synergistic water treatment

Long, Y

Mao, S

Zhang, XS Shi, Y Feng, A Su, D

Wei, W Ni, BJ Fu, Q

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Nano Energy, 2025, 146, pp. 111516
Issue Date:: 2025-12-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Long, Y https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9372-2501
dc.contributor.author	Mao, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4761-4670
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, XS
dc.contributor.author	Shi, Y
dc.contributor.author	Feng, A
dc.contributor.author	Su, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3972-8205
dc.contributor.author	Wei, W
dc.contributor.author	Ni, BJ
dc.contributor.author	Fu, Q https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4012-330X
dc.date.accessioned	2025-11-21T00:08:52Z
dc.date.available	2025-11-21T00:08:52Z
dc.date.issued	2025-12-15
dc.identifier.citation	Nano Energy, 2025, 146, pp. 111516
dc.identifier.issn	2211-2855
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/190710
dc.description.abstract	The escalating global water pollution crisis calls for advanced purification technologies that simultaneously enable energy-efficient water recovery and effective pollutant removal. In this study, we report a mechanically robust double-network hydrogel composed of polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol and MXene, designed for integrated interfacial solar evaporation (ISE) and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The incorporation of MXene nanosheets enhances photothermal conversion and promotes efficient solar evaporation, owing to their broadband solar absorption. Remarkably, according to the DFT calculation, upon introducing ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidant, MXene facilitates electron transfer under sunlight irradiation, triggering the decomposition of APS and the generation of reactive oxidizing species (ROSs). This synergistic system achieves a high solar evaporation rate of 3.07 kg·m<sup>−2</sup>·h<sup>−1</sup> while simultaneously degrading 96.13 % methylene blue dye or 91.70 % antibiotic sulfamethoxazole within 24 h. Outdoor validation demonstrates > 99 % pollutant removal efficiency and excellent cycling stability (∼90 % after 10 cycles). This work thus offers a scalable and integrated platform for sustainable water treatment by harmonizing physical separation with chemical decontamination.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT180100312
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE220100530
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP240100542
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP250102613
dc.relation.ispartof	Nano Energy
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.nanoen.2025.111516
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0303 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, 0912 Materials Engineering, 1007 Nanotechnology
dc.subject.classification	3403 Macromolecular and materials chemistry
dc.subject.classification	4016 Materials engineering
dc.subject.classification	4018 Nanotechnology
dc.title	Bridging solar evaporation and advanced oxidative degradation: A MXene-hydrogel platform for synergistic water treatment
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	146
utslib.for	0303 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry
utslib.for	0912 Materials Engineering
utslib.for	1007 Nanotechnology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/Engineering and IT Related HDR Students
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Chancellor's Research Fellows
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-11-21T00:08:49Z
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	146

Abstract:

The escalating global water pollution crisis calls for advanced purification technologies that simultaneously enable energy-efficient water recovery and effective pollutant removal. In this study, we report a mechanically robust double-network hydrogel composed of polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol and MXene, designed for integrated interfacial solar evaporation (ISE) and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The incorporation of MXene nanosheets enhances photothermal conversion and promotes efficient solar evaporation, owing to their broadband solar absorption. Remarkably, according to the DFT calculation, upon introducing ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidant, MXene facilitates electron transfer under sunlight irradiation, triggering the decomposition of APS and the generation of reactive oxidizing species (ROSs). This synergistic system achieves a high solar evaporation rate of 3.07 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ while simultaneously degrading 96.13 % methylene blue dye or 91.70 % antibiotic sulfamethoxazole within 24 h. Outdoor validation demonstrates > 99 % pollutant removal efficiency and excellent cycling stability (∼90 % after 10 cycles). This work thus offers a scalable and integrated platform for sustainable water treatment by harmonizing physical separation with chemical decontamination.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/190710