Waste-treating-waste: Upcycling discarded polyester into metal–organic framework nanorod for synergistic interfacial solar evaporation and sulfate-based advanced oxidation process

•Semiconductive Co-MOF nanorod in large quantity is prepared from discarded PET.•Co-MOF/CNT evaporator realizes wastewater purification and freshwater production.•CNT owns good photothermal conversion ability and rises photocatalysis efficiency.•Localized solar heat and rich open Co site of Co-MOF promote the activation of PMS.•Evaporator shows an evaporation rate of 2.25 kg m−2h−1 with TC removal of 99.8 %