Electrosorption of ions from aqueous solutions with carbon nanotubes and nanofibers composite film electrodes

Electrosorption of ions from aqueous solutions with carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (CNTs-CNFs) composite film electrodes has been demonstrated. The large area CNTs-CNFs film was directly grown on Ni plate by low pressure and low temperature thermal chemical vapor deposition. The CNTs-CNFs electrodes have great advantages such as low cost, easy operation, long-term reproducibility, and integrity of monolithic CNTs-CNFs film and current collector. Batch-mode experiments at low voltage (0.4–2V) were conducted in a continuously recycling system to investigate the electrosorption process. Purification of water with good reproducibility was achieved because of optimal pore size distribution of CNTs-CNFs composite films.