Reborn Three-Dimensional Graphene with Ultrahigh Volumetric Desalination Capacity

The constructing of 3D materials with optimal performance is urgently needed to meet the growing demand of advanced materials in the high-tech sector. A distinctive 3D graphene (3DG) is designed based on a repeated rebirth strategy to obtain a better body and performance after each round of rebirth, as if it is Phoenix Nirvana. The properties of reborn graphene, namely 3DG after Nirvana (NvG), has been dramatically upgraded compared to 3DG, including high density (3.36 times) together with high porosity, as well as better electrical conductivity (1.41 times), mechanical strength (32.4 times), and ultrafast infiltration behavior. These advantages of NvG make it a strong intrinsic motivation for application in capacitive deionization (CDI). Using NvG directly as the CDI electrode, it has an extremely high volumetric capacity of 220 F cm(-3) at 1 A cm(-3) and a maximum salt absorption capacity of 8.02 similar to 9.2 mg cm(-3) (8.9-10.2 times), while the power consumption for adsorption of the same mass of salt is less than a quarter of 3DG. The Phoenix Nirvana-like strategy of manufacturing 3D structures will undoubtedly become the new engine to kick-start the development of innovative carbon materials through an overall performance upgrade.

Automated summary

The Phoenix Nirvana-like 3D graphene (NvG) designed with a repeated rebirth strategy exhibits superior performance upgrades in terms of density, porosity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, and fast infiltration behavior, making it ideal for capacitive deionization (CDI). As a CDI electrode, NvG shows extremely high volumetric capacity and salt absorption capacity, along with significantly lower power consumption compared to traditional 3D graphene (3DG). The overall performance enhancement achieved through this innovative manufacturing strategy is expected to drive the development of new carbon materials.