Controllable synthesis of a hollow core-shell Co-Fe layered double hydroxide derived from Co-MOF and its application in capacitive deionization

Perspective into ion storage of pristine metal-organic frameworks in capacitive deionization

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), featuring tunable conductivity, tailored pore/structure and high surface area, have emerged as promising electrode nanomaterials for ion storage in capacitive deionization (CDI) and garnered tremendous attention in recent years. Despite the many advantages, the perspective from which MOFs should be designed and prepared for use as CDI electrode materials still faces various challenges that hinder their practical application. This summary proposes design principles for the pore size, pore environment, structure and dimensions of MOFs to precisely tailor the surface area, selectivity, conductivity, and Faradaic activity of electrode materials based on the ion storage mechanism in the CDI process. The account provides a new perspective to deepen the understanding of the fundamental issues of MOFs electrode materials to further meet the practical applications of CDI.

A mini review on metal-organic framework-based electrode materials for capacitive deionization

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an electrochemical method of extracting ions from solution at potentials below electrolysis. It has various applications ranging from water remediation and desalination to heavy metal removal and selective resource recovery. A CDI device applies an electrical charge across two porous electrodes to attract and remove ions without producing waste products. It is generally considered environmentally friendly and promising for sustainability, yet ion removal efficiency still falls short of more established filtration methods. Commercially available activated carbon is typically used for CDI, and its ion adsorption capacity is low at approximately 20-30 mg g-1. Recently, much interest has been in the highly porous and well-structured family of materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Most MOFs are poor conductors of electricity and cannot be directly used to make electrodes. A common workaround is to pyrolyze the MOF to convert its organic components to carbon while maintaining its underlying microstructure. However, most MOF-derived materials only retain partial microstructure after pyrolysis and cannot inherit the robust porosity of the parent MOFs. This review provides a systematic breakdown of structure-performance relationships between a MOF-derived material and its CDI performance based on recent works. This review also serves as a starting point for researchers interested in developing MOF-derived materials for CDI applications.

Comprehensive Study on the Ion-Selective Behavior of MnOx for Electrochemical Deionization

Manganese oxide is an effective active material in several electrochemical systems, including batteries, supercapacitors, and electrochemical deionization (ECDI). This work conducts a comprehensive study on the ion-selective behavior of MnOx to fulfill the emptiness in the energy and environmental science field. Furthermore, it broadens the promising application of MnOx in the ion-selective ECDI system. We propose a time-dependent multimechanism ion-selective behavior with the following guidelines by utilizing a microfluidic cell and the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) analysis. (1) Hydrated radius is the most critical factor for ions with the same valence, and MnOx tends to capture cations with a small hydrated radius. (2) The importance of charge density rises when comparing cations with different valences, and MnOx prefers to capture divalent cations with a strong electrostatic attraction at prolonged times. Under this circumstance, ion swapping may occur where divalent cations replace monovalent cations. (3) NH4+ triggers MnOx dissolution, leading to performance and stability decay. The EQCM evidence has directly verified the proposed mechanisms, and these data provide a novel but simple method to judge ion selectivity preference. The overall ion selectivity sequence is Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ > NH4+> Na+ > Li+ with the highest selectivity values of βCa//Li and βCa//Na around 3 at the deionization time = 10 min.

NiFe-Coordination Polymers-Derived Layered Double Hydroxides as Bifunctional Materials: Effect of the Ni : Fe Ratio on the Electrochemical Performance

The development of an efficient and cost-effective material is highly desirable for electrochemical devices such as electrolyzers and supercapacitors. Especially, pseudomorphic transformations of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)/coordination polymers (CPs) into layered double hydroxides (LDHs) materials endow well-defined porosities, high surface area, exchangeable interlayer anions and easily adjustable electronic structure that are truly required for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and high-performance supercapacitor applications. Herein, we have prepared NiFe-LDHs of various Ni/Fe ratios via a facile room-temperature alkaline hydrolysis of NiFe-CPs precursors. Electrochemical studies reveal that the catalyst having high amount of Fe (Ni1.2 Fe1 -LDH) showed the better OER activity with a low Tafel slope (65 mV dec-1 ) in 1 M KOH. On the other hand, the catalyst containing higher amount of Ni with better layered structure (Ni11.7 Fe1 -LDH) showed high performance for supercapacitor (702 F g-1 at 0.25 A g-1 ) in 3 M KOH. Moreover, a solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device Ni11.7 Fe1 -LDH/AC was fabricated which exhibited a specific capacitance of 18 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 . The device displayed high cycling stability with 88% of capacitance retention after 7000 cycles. The experimental findings in this work will help in the futuristic development of NiFe-LDH based electrocatalysts for the enhanced electrochemical performances.

Strong interface coupling boosting hierarchical bismuth embedded carbon hybrid for high-performance capacitive deionization

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is regarded as a promising desalination technology owing to its low cost and environmental friendliness. However, the lack of high-performance electrode materials remains a challenge in CDI. Herein, the hierarchical bismuth-embedded carbon (Bi@C) hybrid with strong interface coupling was prepared through facile solvothermal and annealing strategy. The hierarchical structure with strong interface coupling between the bismuth and carbon matrix afforded abundant active sites for chloridion (Cl^-) capture, improved electrons/ions transfer and the stability of the Bi@C hybrid. As a result of these advantages, the Bi@C hybrid showed a high salt adsorption capacity (75.3 mg/g under 1.2 V), salt adsorption rate and good stability, making it a promising electrode material for CDI. Furthermore, the desalination mechanism of the Bi@C hybrid was elucidated through various characterizations. Therefore, this work provides valuable insights for the design of high-performance bismuth-based electrode materials for CDI.

Enhanced Pseudo-Capacitance Process in Nanoarchitectural Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoarrays Hollow Nanocages for Improved Capacitive Deionization Performance

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are perceived as a hopeful capacitive deionization (CDI) faradic electrode for Cl^- insertion due to its tunable composition, excellent anion exchange capacity, and fast redox activity. Nevertheless, the self-stacking and inferior electrical conductivity of the two-dimensional structure of LDH lead to unsatisfactory CDI performance. Herein, the three-dimensional (3D) hollow nanocage structure of CoNi-layered double hydroxide/carbon composites is well designed as a CDI anode by cation etching of the pre-carbonized ZIF-67 template. C/CoNi-LDH has a unique 3D hollow nanocage structure and abundant pore features, which can effectively suppress the self-stacking of LDH sheets and facilitate the transport of ions. Moreover, the introduced amorphous carbon layer can act as a conductive network. When employed as the CDI anode, C/CoNi-LDH exhibited a high Cl^- removal capacity of 60.88 mg g^-1 and a fast Cl^- removal rate of 18.09 mg g^-1 min^-1 at 1.4 V in 1000 mg L^-1 NaCl solution. The mechanism of the Cl^- intercalation pseudo-capacitance reaction of C/CoNi-LDH is revealed by electrochemical kinetic analysis and ex situ characterization. This study provides vital guidance for the design of high-performance electrodes for CDI.

Controllable Architecture of ZnO/FeNi Composites Derived from Trimetallic ZnFeNi Layered Double Hydroxides for High-Performance Electromagnetic Wave Absorbers

The optimization design of micro-structure and composition is an important strategy to obtain high-performance metal-based electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption materials. In this work, ZnO/FeNi composites derived from ZnFeNi layered double hydroxides are prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method and subsequent pyrolysis process, and can be employed as an effective alternative for high-performance EM wave absorber. A series of ZnO/FeNi composites with different structures are obtained by varying the molar ratios of Zn²⁺ /Fe³⁺ /Ni²⁺ , and the ZnO/FeNi composites with a Zn²⁺ /Fe³⁺ /Ni²⁺ molar ratio of 6:1:3 show a hierarchical flower-like structure. Owing to the strong synergistic loss mechanism of dielectric-magnetic components and favorable structural features, this hierarchical flower-like ZnO/FeNi sample supplies the optimal EM wave absorption performance with the highest reflection loss of -52.08 dB and the widest effective absorption bandwidth of 6.56 GHz. The EM simulation further demonstrates that impedance matching plays a determining role in EM wave absorption performance. This work provides a new way for the fabrication of a high-performance metal-based EM wave absorber.

Metal-organic frameworks-derived layered double hydroxides: From controllable synthesis to various electrochemical energy storage/conversion applications

Over the past years, metal-organic frameworks (MOF) have been directly used as electrodes or as a precursor for MOF-derived materials in energy storage and conversion systems. In the wide range of existing MOF derivatives, MOF-derived layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are determined to be promising materials due to their unique structure and features. However, MOF-derived LDHs (MDL) materials can suffer from insufficient intrinsic conductivity and agglomeration during formation. Various techniques and approaches were designed and applied to tackle these problems, such as using ternary LDHs, ion-doping, sulphurization, phosphorylation, selenization, direct growth, and conductive substrates. All the mentioned enhancement techniques aim to create the ideal electrode materials with maximum performance. In this review, we gathered and discussed the most recent progressive advances, different synthesis methodologies, unsolved challenges, applications, and electrochemical and electrocatalytic performance of MDL materials. We hope this work will be a reliable source for future progress and synthesis of these materials.

Cu-based MOF-derived architecture with Cu/Cu2O nanospheres anchored on porous carbon nanosheets for efficient capacitive deionization

The design of high-performance electrode materials with excellent desalination ability has always been a research goal for efficient capacitive deionization (CDI). Herein, a hybrid architecture with Cu/Cu₂O nanospheres anchored on porous carbon nanosheets (Cu/Cu₂O/C) was first synthesized by pyrolyzing a two-dimensional (2D) Cu-based metal-organic framework and then evaluated as a cathode for hybrid CDI. The as-prepared Cu/Cu₂O/C exhibits a hierarchically porous structure with a high specific surface area of 305 m² g^-1 and large pore volume of 0.55 cm³ g^-1, which is favorable to accelerating ion migration and diffusion. The porous carbon nanosheet matrix with enhanced conductivity will facilitate the Faradaic reactions of Cu/Cu₂O nanospheres during the desalination process. The Cu/Cu₂O/C hybrid architecture displays a high specific capacitance of 142.5 F g^-1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s^-1 in 1 M NaCl solution. The hybrid CDI constructed using the Cu/Cu₂O/C cathode and a commercial activated carbon anode exhibits a high desalination capacity of 16.4 mg g^-1 at an operation voltage of 1.2 V in 500 mg L^-1 NaCl solution. Additionally, the hybrid CDI exhibits a good cycling stability with 18.3% decay in the desalination capacity after 20 electrosorption-desorption cycles. Thus, the Cu/Cu₂O/C composite is expected to be a promising cathode material for hybrid CDI.

In situ anchor of Na2Ti3O7 in nitrogen-rich carbon hollow red blood cell-like structure as a 0D-3D hierarchical electrode material for efficient electrochemical desalination

Reasonable design of the structure and complementary compounding of electrode materials is helpful to enhance capacitive deionization (CDI) performance. Herein, a novel 0D-3D hierarchical electrode material containing Na2Ti3O7 nanoparticles anchored at hollow red blood cell (HRBC)-like nitrogen-rich carbon (HRBC-NTO/N-C-60) was prepared via selective protection, pyrolysis, and alkalization. Specifically, a HRBC-like NH2-MIL-125-based material (HRBC-MOF-60) was first constructed by a selective protection approach of tannic acid (TN), which addresses the shortcomings of using sacrificial templates or corrosive agents. Afterwards, HRBC-NTO/N-C-60 was obtained in situ by annealing and alkalization of HRBC-MOF-60. The nitrogen-rich carbon with a HRBC-like structure has the ability to rapidly transport electrons, and its porous structure enables remarkable charge transfer. Benefiting from the grafted 3D N-doped porous carbon with a HRBC-like structure, well-dispersed 0D Na2Ti3O7 nanoparticles, and satisfactory bonding effects, HRBC-NTO/N-C-60 exhibited high specific capacitance and fast ionic and electronic diffusion kinetics. Moreover, HRBC-NTO/N-C-60 was well-suited for desalination by functioning as a cathode material for capacitive deionization (CDI), and delivering a high desalination capacity of 66.8 mg g-1 in 200 mg L-1 NaCl solution at 1.4 V. This work introduces an excellent high-performance candidate for electrochemical deionization as well as affording afflatus for accurately inventing OD-3D hierarchical materials with hollow structures.

Research progress of metal organic frameworks and their derivatives for adsorption of anions in water: A review

Anion pollution in water has become a problem that cannot be ignored. The anion concentration should be controlled below the national emission standard to meet the demand for clean water. Among the methods for removing excess anions in water, the adsorption method has a unique removal performance, and the core of the adsorption method is the adsorbent. In recent years, the emerging metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have the advantages of adjustable porosity, high specific surface area, diverse functions, and easy modification. They are very competitive in the field of adsorption of liquid anions. This article focuses on the adsorption of fluoride, arsenate, chromate, radioactive anions (ReO₄^-, TcO₄^-, SeO₄^2-/SeO₃^2-), phosphate ion, chloride ion, and other anions by MOFs and their derivatives. The preparation methods of MOFs are introduced in turn, the application of different types of metal-based MOFs to adsorb various anions were discussed in categories with their crystal structure and functional groups. The influence on the adsorption of anions is analyzed, including the more common and special adsorption mechanisms, adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics, and regeneration performance are briefly described. Finally, the current situation of MOFs adsorption of anions is summarized, and the outlook for future development is summarized to provide my own opinions for the practical application of MOFs.

Nanoarchitectonics of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Capacitive Deionization via Controlled Pyrolyzed Approaches

Next-generation desalination technologies are needed to meet the increasing demand for clean water. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a thermodynamically efficient technique to treat non-potable water with relatively low salinity. The salt removal capacity and rate of CDI are highly dependent on the electrode materials, which are preferentially porous to store ions through electrosorption and/or redox reactions. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with "infinite" combinations of transition metals and organic linkers simplify the production of carbonaceous materials often with redox-active components after pyrolysis. MOFs-derived materials show great tunability in both compositions and structures but require further refinement to improve CDI performance. This review article summarizes recent progress in derivatives of MOFs and MOF-like materials used as CDI electrodes, focusing on the structural and compositional material considerations as well as the processing parameters and electrode architectures of the device. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities associated with this research area are also discussed.

Layered double hydroxide coated electrospun carbon nanofibers as the chloride capturing electrode for ultrafast electrochemical deionization

Slow desalination kinetics and poor durability of the electrodes are two key limitations of electrochemical deionization (EDI) that are considered to be the next generation of capacitive desalination (CDI). Herein, we report the design of a high-efficiency chloride removal electrode material for accelerating the desalination kinetics and concurrently improving the durability of EDI, which is based on coating NiMn-Cl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) on the surface of electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs@LDHs). The salient features of the as-developed CNFs@LDHs are that applying layer-structured LDHs with abundant redox-active sites to accelerate the pseudo-capacitive ion storage via fast ion intercalation/deintercalation, and leveraging the rigid CNF backbone to strengthen its durability by preventing the potential aggregation of LDHs. As expected, the CNFs@LDH based EDI system displays an ultrafast desalination rate of 0.51 mg g^-1 s^-1 and outstanding long-term stability (only 10.66 % desalination capacity reduction after 35 cycles), which is achieved without sacrificing its excellent desalination capacity (72.04 mg g^-1). This work could be inspirational for the future design of ultrafast yet durable EDI approaching industrial desalination applications.

Bismuth oxychloride nanostructure coated carbon sponge as flow-through electrode for highly efficient rocking-chair capacitive deionization

Rocking-chair capacitive deionization (RCDI), as the next generation technique of capacitive deionization, has thrived to be one of the most promising strategies in the desalination community, yet was hindered mostly by its relatively low desalination rate and stability. Motivated by the goal of simultaneously enhancing the desalination rate and structural stability of the electrode, this paper reports an anion-driven flow-through RCDI (AFT-RCDI) system equipped with BiOCl nanostructure coated carbon sponge (CS@BiOCl for short; its backbone is derived from commercially available melamine foam with minimum capital cost) as the flow-through electrode. Owning to the rational design of the composite electrode material with minimum charge transfer resistance and ultrahigh structure stability as well as the superior flow-through cell architecture, the AFT-RCDI displays excellent desalination performance (desalination capacity up to 107.33 mg g^-1; desalination rate up to 0.53 mg g^-1s^-1) with superior long-term stability (91.75% desalination capacity remained after 30 cycles). This work provides a new thought of coupling anion capturing electrode with flow-through cell architecture and employing a low-cost CS@BiOCl electrode with commercially available backbone material, which could shed light on the further development of low-cost electrochemical desalination systems.

Carbon-Based Capacitive Deionization Electrodes: Development Techniques and its Influence on Electrode Properties

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a potential technology to provide cost efficient desalinated and/or softened water. Several efforts have been invested in the fabrication of CDI electrodes that not only has outstanding performance but also high chance of large scalability. In this personal account, the different techniques in developing carbon-based materials are presented together with its actual effect on the surface and electrochemical properties of carbon. The categories presented are based on the studies done by the Electrochemical Reaction and Technology Laboratory, the Ertl Center, different research groups in South Korea, and selected papers from the past three years. Our perspective about research gaps and prospects are also included with the aim to increase interest for CDI research.

Calcination activation of three-dimensional cobalt organic phosphate nanoflake assemblies for supercapacitors

Three-dimensional organic phosphate nanoflake assemblies were obtained by calcination activation. In the two-electrode system, 3D COP assemblies showed excellent cycle stability, and the capacity retention was 99.61% after 3000 long cycles.