Eco-friendly facile synthesis of glucose–derived microporous carbon spheres electrodes with enhanced performance for water capacitive deionization

• Published in: Desalination 2020-03, Vol.477, p.114278, Article 114278
• Main Authors: Mohamed, Shaimaa K., Abuelhamd, Mahmoud, Allam, Nageh K., Shahat, Ahmed, Ramadan, Mohamed, Hassan, Hassan M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Capacitive deionization; Carbon electrode; Carbon spheres; Desalination; Electrosorption capacity
• ISSN: 0011-9164; 1873-4464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2019.114278

Water desalination via capacitive deionization technique (CDI) is deeply affected by the properties of electrode materials. In this work, microporous carbon spheres (CSs) were fabricated by simple green eco-friendly process with low cost materials where glucose is converted to carbon spheres via polymerization reactions through hydrothermal treatment followed by carbonization. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Nitrogen adsorption-desorption studies have characterized the obtained CSs. Measurements of Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Charge and Discharge (GCD), and Potentio-Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (PEIS) were used to investigate the electrochemical behavior. The desalination performance and the effect of different carbonization temperature on the chemical, structural and surface properties were studied. It was found that the CS800 electrode possessed large surface area and high electrosorption capacity (10.3 mg g−1) which suggest its use as a promising candidate for CDI. [Display omitted] •Glucose–derived carbon spheres were fabricated by facile, green, template-free method.•This is first time to report the use of glucose-derived CSs as electrode in CDI.•CS800 had the highest specific capacitance and salt adsorption capacity.•CS800 is a promising CDI electrode for water desalination.