For the first time, we investigated the synergistic effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) and Au nanolayer in interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) of well water. Herein, single- or double- layer photoabsorbers were prepared by coating poplar wood with different concentrations of Fe3O4 NPs and/or various thicknesses of Au nanolayer. The maximum evaporation efficiency for the single-layer photoabsorber composed of Fe3O4 was 80% under 3 sun (1 sun=1 kW m− 2) illumination. The most efficient single-layer photoabsorber coated by Au nanolayer resulted in the evaporation efficiency of 83.2% under 3 sun. The double-layer photoabsorber of Fe3O4 over Au nanolayer (Fe3O4/Au) and Au layer over Fe3O4 (Au/Fe3O4) were prepared. The Fe3O4/Au reached the evaporation efficiency of 88.7% and the evaporation rate of 3.76 kg m− 2 h− 1 under 3 sun due to the synergistic effects of surface plasmon effect in Au NPs as well as black color and visible light absorbing ability of Fe3O4 NP

Keywords