We present an energy efficient and membraneless method to reduce the salt content of water by using electrochemistry. The process, electrochemically mediated desalination, relies on the generation of a local electric field gradient near an electrode embedded at the junction of a bifurcated microchannel structure. At the electrode, a small percentage of the naturally abundant chloride in water is oxidized to chlorine, consequently producing a localized ion depletion zone and electric field gradient that allows for the separation of ions and production of partially desalted water.

Electrochemically mediated desalination

248th National Meeting (2014)

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