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Diffusion-bonded CNT carpets for fundamental CDI studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2012

R. Enright ,
R. Mitchell ,
H. Mutha ,
C. Lv ,
M. Christiansen ,
C. V. Thompson  and
E. N. Wang
R. Enright
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A. Stokes Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
R. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A.
H. Mutha
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A.
C. Lv
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A. Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
M. Christiansen
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A.
C. V. Thompson
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A.
E. N. Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Uncertainty about future energy and water supplies suggests a pressing need to develop efficient technologies for water desalination. Capacitive deionization (CDI), a method that captures ions in the electrical double layer (EDL) of an electrochemical capacitor, is a promising technology that can potentially fulfill those requirements. Similar to supercapacitors, ideal CDI electrodes should have a large electrolyte-accessible specific surface area available for ion adsorption with rapid charging/discharging characteristics. Unlike supercapacitors, CDI electrodes are required to operate in aqueous electrolytes with low ionic concentrations in a non-linear charging regime. To explore this practically and theoretically important regime, we developed robust, electrochemically-compatible carbon nanotube (CNT) carpet electrodes that posses a well-defined and uniform pore structure that is more readily analyzed in comparison to the random and multi-scale pore structure of typical carbon electrodes. The fabricated electrodes were characterized using cyclic voltammetry and potentiostatic charging in aqueous NaCl solutions (no = 20 - 90 mM) using a three electrode setup. Examination of the CV and potentiostatically-measured capacitances were consistent with EDL behavior dictated by the Stern layer. However, some deviations from the expected behavior were observed with increasing salt concentration during potentiostatic testing.

Keywords

adsorptionbondingenergy storage
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1407: Symposium AA – Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene and Related Nanostructures , 2012 , mrsf11-1407-aa10-64
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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