An asymmetric system containing a first conductive polymer modified with a redox active moiety and a second conductive polymer modified with a surfactant is used for the separation of organic compounds from aqueous solutions. The asymmetric system has complementary hydrophobicity tunability in response to electrochemical modulations. For example, both materials are hydrophobic in their respective neutral states, therefore exhibiting affinity toward organic compounds. Application of a mild potential drives the desorption of the organic compounds and regeneration of the materials. The asymmetric system can be used in a cyclic fashion, through repeated electrical discharge or shorting of the two electrodes to program the capture of organics from a feed solution, and application of a potential to stimulate the release of the adsorbed organics.

The present invention relates to a method for electrochemical purification of an aqueous solution comprising the steps of: providing a cathode and an anode to an aqueous solution, wherein said aqueous solution comprises soluble ions of at least one toxic heavy metal and wherein said cathode comprises an outer surface, which outer surface comprises a noble metal; applying an absolute potential to said cathode and wherein said absolute potential of said cathode drives the formation of an alloy comprising said noble metal and said at least one toxic heavy metal.

The present invention is directed to an electrochemical device for at least partially removing or reducing a target ionic species from an aqueous solution using faradic immobilization, the electrochemical device including at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode with different void fraction and surface area properties, due to differences in void fraction (also referred to as void ratio) of the at least one first and the at least one second electrode, water flows through an electrode with a high porosity, while the aqueous solution does not flow through an electrode with a low porosity. The asymmetry of the electrodes provides a desired voltage distribution across the device, which equates to a different voltage at each electrode, to control the speciation of the target ionic species at the anode and the cathode.

A water-processing electrochemical reactor that comprises a cylindrical inner anode (73), an outer tubular cathode (74), an intermediate chamber between the anode (73) and the cathode (74) and being crossed by the water, an outer shell (77) surrounding the cathode (74), a water inlet (71) and a water outlet (78), and a gas inlet (80) and gas outlet (79) connected to the outer shell (77) and to the gas chamber. The cathode surrounds the inner anode (73) and is porous to gas. A gas chamber is defined between the cathode (74) and the outer shell (77). The gas chamber contains a gas comprising oxygen and is at an overpressure that forces the gas through the porous cathode (74).

An electrochemical oxidation reactor includes rotatable electrodes inside a reactor vessel. The electrodes are mounted to support plates, which in turn are mounted on shafts. The plates are attached to each other in a spaced relationship so that a gap is formed therebetween. The plates are each electrically insulated from each other. The electrodes are mounted to the inside surfaces of these plates, inside the gap. The gap is sized to receive liquid to be treated so that liquid located within the gap will react with the electrodes. An electrical charge is applied to each shaft so that a dielectric is formed across the gap within the fluid located in the gap. According to a first embodiment, an electrochemical reactor includes containing two spaced electrode support plates. According to another embodiment, an electrochemical reactor includes several spaced electrode support plates.

A device for removing ions from a flow of water includes a first electrode and a counter-electrode opposite the first electrode in the flow of water. The first electrode contains at least one material which is capable of intercalating one or both of Mg.sup.2+ and Ca.sup.2+ ions in the flow of water. The counter-electrode can include a material capable of binding to anions in the flow of water.

A current conductor for use in an electrochemical device for removing ions from a solution. The current conductor includes a current conductor substrate having a current conductor surface. The current conductor also includes an anti-corrosive, anti-reactive coating coated onto the current conductor surface. The anti-corrosive, anti-reactive coating contains a material with a chemical composition of AO.sub.y, where A= Zr, Nb, Ti, or a combination thereof and 2 < y < 3; M.sub.xAO.sub.y, where M= Ca, Mg, Na, or a combination thereof, A= Zr, Nb, Ti, or a combination thereof, 0 < x < 2, and 2 < y < 3; MgCr.sub.2O.sub.4; or a combination thereof.

A method of making copper sulfide electrode material comprising steps of: 1) stirring and dissolving copper(ii) nitrate hydrate (Cu(NO.sub.3)2.3H.sub.2O) and Thiourea (CH.sub.4N.sub.2S) in a mixed solution consisting of ethylene glycol and deionized water; 2) adding hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (C.sub.19H.sub.42N.Br) to mixture A; 3) placing the mixture B into a roaster, raising a temperature of the roaster to 100° C. to 180° C. for 10 hours to 18 hours; 4) washing the crude CuS by using a mixed fluid of ethanol absolute (C.sub.2H.sub.6O) and deionized water to be cooled in a room temperature, placing the crude CuS in the roaster and raising a temperature of the roaster to 50° C. to 80° C.; 5) producing cathode electrode of asymmetric capacitive deionization module by using the copper sulfide electrode material; 6) producing anode electrode of asymmetric capacitive deionization module by using activated carbon electrode material.

The wastewater treatment apparatus of present invention has an electro-coagulation unit for removing contaminants with at least one anode and at least one cathode and an electro-oxidation unit for oxidizing contaminants with at least one anode and at least one cathode wherein oxidants are electrochemically generated. Based on the type of wastewater, the apparatus can have an electro-flotation unit between the electrocoagulation unit and the electro-oxidation unit. The apparatus also has an oxidant removal unit which can have a metal ion-liberating electrode for reacting with and removing residual oxidants. In some cases, portions of effluent from the oxidant removal unit can be recirculated to the electro-coagulation unit for increased efficiency.

A method for removing silica from an aqueous solution is provided. The method includes steps of flowing the aqueous solution into an electro-Fenton reactor, wherein the reactor comprises one or more electrodes in a bipolar arrangement positioned between a monopolar iron anode and a monopolar cathode; applying an electric current to the aqueous solution such that silica aggregates form on ferric hydroxide; and removing the silica aggregates from the aqueous solution.