Insights on the role of supporting electrospun carbon nanofibers with binary metallic carbides for enhancing their capacitive deionization performance

Abstract

Recent development in desalination technology can be progressed in terms of fabricated nanomaterials and operating parameters, as one among energy-storing systems including fuel cells, capacitors, batteries, and so on. Regarding the examined nanomaterials, embedded CoCr7C3 nanoparticles onto carbon nanofibers (CoCr7C3@CNFs) were prepared using a facile electrospinning technique. Characterization techniques, such as XRD, FESEM, TEM, HRTEM, STEM, and EDX, were served to define the crystallinity, morphology and chemical composition of the synthesized nanofibers. XRD chart demonstrated the formation of Cr7C3 species along with deposited metallic cobalt in this nanomaterial. The morphological study revealed the uniform distribution of metallic cobalt and Cr7C3 nanoparticles onto the fibrous CNFs structure. The electrochemical performance of CoCr7C3@CNFs was studied in 1.0 M NaCl solution at 5 mV s−1 to record a specific capacitance of 250 F g−1. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated better electron transfer properties after introducing CoCr7C3 to the CNFs structure. Furthermore, its outstanding electrosorption capacity of 20.40 mg g−1 might encourage the preparation of additional nanocomposites for future capacitive deionization (CDI) technology.

Keywords

• Porous structure
• Water desalination
• Electrosorption capacity
• Metallic carbides
• Carbon nanofibers