Achieving efficient multifunctional platform utilizing sugarcane for water-electricity cogeneration and dyes reduction

The cogeneration technology of water-electricity, as an effective strategy to address the current environmental and energy crisis, has attracted increasing attention. Despite numerous advantages in the construction of single water or electricity generation platforms from bio-based materials, there are few reports on the research of multifunctional water-electricity cogeneration platforms. Herein, we introduce a novel bio-based multifunctional platform for water-electricity cogeneration and dye degradation by using modified sugarcane and functional electrodes. Such design promises long-term stable coproduction and adaptability to various types of polluted water, owing to the selection of sugarcane with excellent thermal insulation and unique design of carbon black loaded foam nickel as upper electrode. Notably, the typical design can obtain an interface evaporation rate of 1.44 kg m^-2h⁻¹, obviously suppressing than the similar reports under 1 sun. While its open circuit voltage of 400 mV in a simulated complex polluted water (under 1 sun), ∼33 % beyond the previous report; More interestingly, this typical platform, combined with catalytic modules, can implement a dual approach to sewage treatment. Our unique multifunctional platform offers a new and reliable way to combat the environmental and energy crisis.