Inspired by Plant Transpiration: Fabrication of a Unique Micro–Nano-Structured Janus Evaporator Using Waste Cotton Fabric for Enhanced Efficiency and Salt Resistance

The development of human society has inevitably caused damage to the Earth's environment, particularly impacting the crucial water cycle. The urgent need to address the scarcity of freshwater resources faced by humanity is evident. Drawing inspiration from the phenomenon of plant transpiration, this study presents a cutting-edge approach that leverages abandoned cotton textiles to fabricate a novel Janus evaporator with distinctive micro–nanoarchitecture, aligning with eco-friendly principles, termed the MoS2@CNTs/CNC Janus evaporator (MCC evaporator). Crafted from its own underlying micronano multilayer structure with superhydrophilicity and the upper layer of photothermal material with superhydrophobicity, the Janus architecture of the evaporator showcases remarkable performance. Under solar irradiation, the evaporation rate of the MCC evaporator can reach 3.16 kg m–2 h–1, even at a salinity of 20 wt %, while demonstrating continuous operation for 8 h. Moreover, the application of the MCC evaporator in a dual-driven evaporation system powered by solar energy and low-grade waste heat (LGWH) holds promising potential. The calculated performance from the mathematical model of the MCC evaporator closely aligns with the observed results, with a mean square error of less than 10–1, highlighting the accuracy of the prediction model. This predictive model holds significant potential for optimizing and forecasting the performance of evaporators.