1：Experimental Design and Method Selection:

The study involves the fabrication of attapulgite/poly acrylamide composite (APAC) through solution polymerization using acrylamide, attapulgite, and a crosslinker, followed by modification and carbonization via flame treatment to create a bilayered structure for enhanced solar steam generation.

2：Sample Selection and Data Sources:

Samples include APAC and its modified versions (F-APAC and BAPAC), prepared from specific ratios of chemicals as described.

3：List of Experimental Equipment and Materials:

Equipment includes ultrasound device, three-neck flask, freezer dryer, butane lighter, SEM (JSM-6701F, JEOL), TEM (Tecnai G2TF20), contact angle meter (DSA100, Kruss), XRD (Rigaku D/Max-2400), universal material testing machine (EZ-Test, SHIMADZU), TGA (Perkin Elmer), volumetric sorption analyzer (micromeritics ASAP 2020), FTIR (JASCO V-570), laser flash apparatus (Netzsch LFA 457), solar simulator, infrared camera, electronic balance. Materials include attapulgite, acrylamide, N, N’ - Methylene bisacrylamide, ammonium persulfate, sodium hydroxide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, distilled water.

4：Experimental Procedures and Operational Workflow:

Steps involve polymerization, washing, modification with PVA and PVP, freezing, freeze-drying, flame treatment for carbonization, and characterization using various techniques. Solar steam generation tests are conducted under controlled illumination.

5：Data Analysis Methods:

Data analysis includes calculating evaporation rates, energy efficiencies using specific equations, and statistical evaluation of measurements.