Enhanced Redox-Flow Desalination with Polyaniline-Modified Electrode

Electrode materials are crucial for the performance of redox-flow desalination (RFD), a promising technology for addressing the increasing global demand for freshwater. However, the lack of efficient and stable electrode options has hindered its widespread application. To overcome this limitation, we developed polyaniline (PANI)-modified graphite foil electrodes, achieving a significant reduction in energy consumption for RFD (up to 78.8%). Electrochemically deposited onto the surface of graphite foil, the PANI film improves redox behavior and enhances desalination performance. At a current density of 3 mA cm–2, energy consumption decreased from 125.44 to 39.26 KJ mol–1 with the PANI modification and from 207.73 to 40.11 KJ mol–1 at 6 mA cm–2. The modified electrodes also achieved salt removal rates of 1.60 and 3.17 μmol cm–2 min–1 at the respective current densities of 3 and 6 mA cm–2. In addition, the PANI film demonstrated excellent multicycle and long-term stability. These findings pave the way for the development of high-performance RFD systems and have implications for other electrochemical desalination technologies.