Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Materials science

Raw material

Power (physics)

Electricity generation

Chemical engineering

Solar energy

Waste management

Physics

Organic chemistry

Carbonization

Process engineering

Corncob

Environmental science

Composite material

Chemistry

Scanning electron microscope

Boiler (water heating)

Electrical engineering

Carbon

Biomass-based materials usually evolve well-developed and unique structures for the transportation of water and nutrition to their pivotal organs. These natural intricate designs allow fascinating properties when harnessed in specific real-world application. Herein, we demonstrate that 3D carbonized corncob (C-corncob) harmoniously coordinates light absorption, water supply, vapor escape, and efficiently utilizes the environmental energy to enhance the performance of the steam generation device due to its multilevel inside and side surface structures. The interfacial solar steam generation based on C-corncob achieves as high as 4.16 kg m−2 h−1 evaporation rate under 1.0 sun illumination and readily overcomes the salt deposition problem. These findings not only demonstrate the competence of the recrement corncob as the lost cost material for interfacial solar steam generation, but also provide inspiration for the creation of solar steam generation devices with the new concept.

High performance carbonized corncob-based 3D solar vapor steam generator enhanced by environmental energy