Electrochemical processes derived from energy storage devices (e.g., supercapacitors and batteries) are promising technologies to separation ions from water. Over the past decade, capacitive deionization (CDI) has been evidenced to be feasibly practical for desalination, water reuse, and resource recovery. For example, a scaled-up membrane CDI stack was developed to reclaim an effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plant and to desalinate wastewater in high-tech industries. In CDI, fixed carbon-based electrodes, with characteristics of a high specific surface area and good conductivity, have been utilized for the effective removal of ions from low-salinity water. However, fixed electrodes remain limited for treating high-salinity water due to their moderate ion removal capacity. To overcome the limitation of fixed carbon-based electrodes, advances in electrode materials have stimulated extensive research in electrochemical multichannel flow systems. Flow-electrode CDI (FCDI) with suspension carbon-based electrodes demonstrates the characteristics of continuous operation via ex-situ regeneration and the recirculation of carbon-based flow electrodes. Thus, the capability for high-salinity water can be achieved through the FCDI process. Most recently, redox-flow battery desalination (FBD) with the use of redox-active electrolytes can not only offer unlimited salt removal operation for continuous desalination but also show the high charge efficiency over a wide salinity working range. Therefore, FBD process provide a promising direction for seawater desalination and zero-discharge technologies. Overall, recent developments in electrode materials with multichannel cell architecture are able to promote more efficient electrochemical ion separation processes towards a sustainable water future.

Recent advances in electrode materials for electrochemical deionization aiming at desalination and water reuse

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.