Utilization of sewage resources through efficient solar-water evaporation by single-atom Cu sites

The action mechanism of pollutants in solar-water evaporation (SWE) is a crucial scientific issue in the utilization of sewage resources. A single-atom copper-carbon system (Cu/SA) was used for the first time in SWE for utilization of sewage resources. Experiments and theoretical calculations show that atomiclevel dispersed Cu-N coordination promotes carrier orientation migration. Electron-rich Cu sites with high carrier concentrations can enhance the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and thus enhance the nonradiative relaxation energy release. The suitable adsorption energy of single-atom copper sites for H2O could effectively promote the evaporation of water. Benefiting from these effects, Cu/SA achieves a high water evaporation rate (3.325 kg/m2$h under 2 suns). The action mechanism of various pollutants in SWE is explored. The metal ions in sewage can be deposited by photogenerated electron reduction, which enhances the light absorption properties. Dyes with a visible light absorption capability can increase the light absorption performance. Electron-donating organics can facilitate water evaporation process by promoting photogenerated carrier separation. A variety of sewage can be effectively resourced to produce clean water. This study can provide a fundamental scientific understanding of the behavior mechanism of pollutants in SWE, thus providing viable technical support for wastewater resource utilization. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study explores the application of a single-atom copper-carbon system in solar-water evaporation, demonstrating its ability to effectively promote water evaporation rate. Experimental results show that atomic-level dispersed Cu-N coordination can enhance carrier migration, thus improving light absorption and nonradiative relaxation energy release effects, effectively driving the water evaporation process.