Electrochemical separation processes for future societal challenges
Greg A. Mutch
Abstract
Electrochemical separation processes can be highly efficient when they act on specific target species. This is only possible in practice when high-selectivity, redox-active materials are paired with an electrical driving force in a cost-effective, practical device. Thus, this perspective seeks to highlight developments in, and associated challenges for, electrochemical separation processes aimed at tackling prominent societal challenges, including greenhouse gas removal from air, recovery of valuable metals from seawater, recycling electronic wastes, and ensuring equitable access to energy, food, water, and healthcare. While specific examples show real promise for deployment, more realistic studies using complex, multi-component mixtures and long-term testing of promising devices to enable rigorous techno-economic analyses are highlighted as pervasive challenges.