Effects of ageing and incorporation of ion-exchange membrane on the electrosorption performance of activated carbon based electrodes modules

Abstract The effects of ageing and incorporation of ion-exchange membrane on the electrosorption performance of activated carbon (AC) electrodes-based electrosorption modules were investigated. It was found that the surface area of aged electrode decreased while the average pore size increased. In addition, more surface functional groups, especially –COOH groups were created on the electrode surface due to ageing. All these lead to a decrease in the electrosorption capacity and electrosorption rate. Incorporation of ion-exchange membranes can improve the desalination performance of the electrosorption module, especially for the aged electrode.