Loofah‐Supported PEDOT:PSS/PVA Hydrogel with Engineering Water Management and Wind‐Assisted Solar Desalination

ABSTRACT Freshwater scarcity is a growing global challenge, and solar interfacial evaporation (SIE) is regarded as a promising strategy for desalination and wastewater purification. However, practical SIE remains hindered by insufficient photothermal conversion, high evaporation enthalpy, and inefficient interfacial vapor transport. Here, a loofah‐supported PEDOT:PSS/PVA hydrogel (LS‐PPP2) evaporator is developed via in situ gelation to overcome these limitations. The microstructure and water state of the hydrogel were tuned through precise regulation of the H ₂ O:PSS mass ratio, thereby reducing the effective evaporation enthalpy. The interconnected microchannels of loofah, coupled with the efficient photothermal conversion and hydration capacity of PPP hydrogel, facilitated rapid interfacial heating, mitigated local vapor saturation, ensured continuous vapor removal, and concurrently maintained the lower effective evaporation enthalpy. Consequently, under one sun irradiation, the rationally designed LS‐PPP2 evaporator achieved evaporation rates of 3.23 and 8.24 kg m ⁻² h ⁻¹ with 0 and 2 m s ⁻¹ wind assistance, respectively, in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. This work highlights the synergistic enhancement of bio‐derived evaporator microstructure engineering and wind‐solar coupling in advancing sustainable water evaporation, offering practical insights for high‐performance solar desalination and water purification.