A flexible cotton-derived carbon sponge for high-performance capacitive deionization. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Guo-Xian; Hou, Peng-Xiang; Zhao, Shi-Yong; Liu, Chang; Cheng, Hui-Ming
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 101(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2015.12.095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: Capacitive deionization (CDI) with a high energy efficiency and low cost is considered a promising desalination technique to obtain clean water. To achieve excellent CDI performance, a rational design of the structure of the electrode material is essential. In this study, a flexible cotton-derived carbon sponge (CCS) with a high specific surface area (up to 2680 m 2 /g) and suitable pore size distribution (0.8–4 nm) was fabricated by the pyrolysis of raw-cotton followed by NH3 treatment and annealing at high temperature. The obtained CCS was directly used as a CDI electrode material without any binders or conductive additives, and exhibited an excellent desalination performance with an electrosorption capacity of 16.1 mg/g in 500 mg/L NaCl solution. This result is due to the high specific surface area, abundant pores, low resistance and superior hydrophilicity of CCS.