Interfacial Charge-Modulated Multifunctional MoS<sub>2</sub>/Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub><i>x</i></sub> Penetrating Electrode for High-Efficiency Freshwater Production
Hantong Qie, Meng Liu, Xinping Fu, Xiao Tan, Yu Zhang, Meng Ren, Yinjie Zhang, Yuansheng Pei, Aijun Lin, Beidou Xi, Jun Cui
Abstract
Freshwater production is critical in terms of solving the global water shortage. Aiming at improving freshwater production capability and ensuring its quality, an interfacial charge-modulated MoS2/Ti3C2Tx-modified carbon fiber (CF/MoS2/Ti3C2Tx) penetrating electrode is designed. To maximize the desalination and degradation efficiencies of CF/MoS2/Ti3C2Tx, a photocatalytic component is introduced into the membrane capacitive deionization (PMCDI) device. High desalination capability is derived from the lamellar architecture structure of MoS2/Ti3C2Tx. Meanwhile, excellent degradation performance is due to the formation of two photoelctrocatalytic activity centers, directionally generating singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (•OH). The intercalated Cl– (desalination) as the electron transfer bridge optimizes the charge distribution of MoS2/Ti3C2Tx, reinforcing the photoelectrocatalytic activity (degradation). The formation of the electron-deficient (desalination) and electron-rich (regeneration) regions at the terminated O atom of Ti3C2Tx accelerate the generations of •OH and 1O2, respectively. In perspective, a mutual promotion process of desalination and degradation is achieved for high-efficiency production of high-quality freshwater.