Abstract: A capacitive deionization apparatus may include at least one pair of porous electrodes and a spacer structure disposed between the at least one pair of electrodes. The at least one pair of porous electrodes may include an electrode material having a surface area for the electrostatic adsorption of feed ions. The spacer structure may include an electrically-insulating material with an ion exchange group on the surface thereof. The spacer structure provides a path for flowing a fluid therethrough.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a spacer structure that is configured to be disposed between a pair of electrodes in a capacitive deionization apparatus so as to provide a space for flowing a fluid therethrough. The spacer structure includes a copolymer prepared by copolymerizing a mixture of a polyurethane backbone including a carboxyl group or a sulfonic acid group, an ion conductive monomer including a carboxyl group and a cation exchange group, and a second polymer including a functional group that reacts with the carboxyl group or sulfonic acid group and forms a cross-linking bond with the polyurethane backbone.

Abstract: A method of forming a carbon coating includes heat treating lithium transition metal composite oxide Li0.9+aMbM?cNdOe, in an atmosphere of a gas mixture including carbon dioxide and compound CnH(2n+2?a)[OH]a, or compound CnH(2n), wherein M and M? are different from each other and are selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ge, Al, Mg, Zr, W, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Ga, Nb, Ag, Hf, Au, Cs, B, and Ba, and N is different from M and M? and is selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ge, Al, Mg, Zr, W, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Ga, Nb, Ag, Hf, Au, Cs, B, Ba, and a combination thereof, or selected from B, F, S, and P, and at least one of the M, M?, and N comprises Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, or Fe.

Abstract: A method of forming a carbon coating includes heat treating lithium transition metal composite oxide Li0.9+aMbM?cNdOe, in an atmosphere of a gas mixture including carbon dioxide and compound CnH(2n+2?a)[OH]a, or compound CnH(2n), wherein M and M? are different from each other and are selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ge, Al, Mg, Zr, W, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Ga, Nb, Ag, Hf, Au, Cs, B, and Ba, and N is different from M and M? and is selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ge, Al, Mg, Zr, W, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Ga, Nb, Ag, Hf, Au, Cs, B, Ba, and a combination thereof, or selected from B, F, S, and P, and at least one of the M, M?, and N comprises Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, or Fe.

Abstract: A capacitive deionization electrode may include a conductive material and a polymer on a surface of the conductive material. The polymer may have at least one functional group in a single polymer chain.

Abstract: A method of forming a carbon coating includes heat treating lithium transition metal composite oxide Li0.9+aMbM?cNdOe, in an atmosphere of a gas mixture including carbon dioxide and compound CnH(2n+2?a)[OH]a, wherein n is 1 to 20 and a is 0 or 1, or compound CnH(2n), wherein n is 2 to 6, wherein 0?a?1.6, 0?b?2, 0?c?2, 0?d?2, b, c, and d are not simultaneously equal to 0, e ranges from 1 to 4, M and M? are different from each other and are selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ge, Al, Mg, Zr, W, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Ga, Nb, Ag, Hf, Au, Cs, B, and Ba, and N is different from M and M? and is selected from Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, Fe, Cr, Ge, Al, Mg, Zr, W, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Ga, Nb, Ag, Hf, Au, Cs, B, Ba, and a combination thereof, or selected from Ti, V, Si, B, F, S, and P, and at least one of the M, M?, and N comprises Ni, Co, Mn, Mo, Cu, or Fe.

Abstract: A metal suboxide having a specific surface area of greater than or equal to about 1.5 m2/g is prepared by preparing a metal suboxide precursor, and heat-treating the metal suboxide precursor.

Abstract: Treating a fluid may include using a flow-through capacitor that includes first and second electrodes and a flow path between the first and second electrodes, wherein an acidic aqueous solution is supplied to the capacitor to flow through the flow path while a reverse potential difference is formed across the first and second electrodes, and thereby deposits formed in the flow-through capacitor may be removed.

Abstract: A thermosensitive copolymer may include a first repeating unit having a temperature-sensitive oligomer and a second repeating unit having an ionic moiety and a counter ion to the ionic moiety. The temperature-sensitive oligomer may be an oligomer including a repeating unit derived from a unsaturated monomer with a moiety represented by Chemical Formula 1 or Chemical Formula 2, or an oligomer including a repeating unit derived from a heterocyclic compound having C, N, O, and a C?N bond in its ring. *—C(?O)N(R2)(R3)??[Chemical Formula 1] R2 and R3 may each independently be hydrogen or a linear or branched C1 to C6 alkyl group, a C3 to C7 cycloalkyl group, or a C6 to C10 aryl group, R2 and R3 may not both be hydrogen, and R2 and R3 may be combined to form a nitrogen containing heterocycle. R4 may be a C2 to C5 alkylene group.

Abstract: A draw solute for forward osmosis may include a copolymer including a first structural unit, where a temperature-sensitive side chain is graft polymerized, and a second structural unit including a hydrophilic functional group. The temperature-sensitive side chain may include a structural unit for a side chain including a temperature-sensitive moiety. The temperature-sensitive moiety may be represented by Chemical Formula 1, Chemical Formula 2, or Chemical Formula 3: wherein R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen or a linear or branched C3 to C5 alkyl group, provided that at least one of R1 and R2 is not hydrogen, R3 is a C3 to C5 alkylene group, and R4 is a linear or branched C3 to C5 alkyl group. The draw solute may be used to form an osmosis draw solution for use in a forward osmosis water treatment device and method.

Abstract: A filter unit may include an electrode structure, a fluid-purifying flow path, and a pH adjusting chamber. The electrode structure may include a cathode, a cation exchange membrane, an anion exchange membrane, and an anode in that order. The fluid-purifying flow path may be at least one of a path in the cathode, between the cathode and the cation exchange membrane, between the anion exchange membrane and the anode, and in the anode. The fluid-purifying flow path may include an adsorption function. The pH adjusting chamber may be between the cation exchange membrane and the anion exchange membrane. The pH adjusting chamber may be configured to control the pH of the fluid in the fluid-purifying flow path.

Abstract: A method of selectively modifying a structure including preparing a structure including a nano-sized through-pore, filling the nano-sized through-pore with a surfactant, removing a portion of the surfactant from both ends of the nano-sized through-pore to expose a portion of an internal surface of the nano-sized through-pore, modifying the exposed internal surface of the nano-sized through-pore with a first compound, removing the surfactant from the nano-sized through-pore having the internal surface modified with the first compound to expose an internal surface that remains unmodified with the first compound, and modifying with a second compound the exposed internal surface without being modified with the first compound, the second compound being different from the first compound.

Abstract: A mesoporous carbon composite material includes mesoporous carbon, metal nanoparticles distributed on the mesoporous carbon, and phosphorus on the mesoporous carbon. An electronic device includes an electrode including the mesoporous carbon composite material. A method of producing a mesoporous carbon composite metal includes impregnating mesoporous silica with a carbon precursor solution, forming a carbon silica composite by heat-treating the mesoporous silica impregnated with the carbon precursor solution, and removing silica from the carbon silica composite. The carbon precursor solution includes a phosphorous-containing carbon precursor, a metal-containing salt, a solvent, and optionally a carbonization catalyst.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrode for capacitive deionization device including an active material, a waterborne polyurethane, and a conducting agent. Disclosed herein too is a method of manufacturing the electrode and a capacitive deionization device employing the electrode. The waterborne polyurethane is a product of reaction of a polyurethane prepolymer prepared by reacting a polyol, a diisocyanate-based compound, and a dispersing agent, with a neutralizing agent and a chain extending agent.

Abstract: An ion exchanger according to a non-limiting embodiment may include an open cell polymer support and a microporous polymer matrix charged within the open cell polymer support. The microporous polymer matrix includes an ion conductive polymer. The ion conductive polymer may be obtained by polymerizing monomers having at least one ion exchange functional group and at least one cross-linkable functional group with a cross-linking agent having at least two cross-linkable functional groups.

Abstract: A capacitive deionization electrode may include a conductive material and a polymer on a surface of the conductive material. The polymer may have at least one functional group in a single polymer chain.

Abstract: A metal suboxide having a specific surface area of greater than or equal to about 1.5 m2/g is prepared by preparing a metal suboxide precursor, and heat-treating the metal suboxide precursor.

Abstract: An electrode material may include a porous carbon material and an organic clay. An electrode for a capacitive deionization apparatus may include the electrode material. A method of removing ions from a fluid may include using the capacitive deionization apparatus.

Abstract: A metal suboxide having a specific surface area of greater than or equal to about 1.5 m2/g is prepared by preparing a metal suboxide precursor, and heat-treating the metal suboxide precursor.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a spacer structure that is configured to be disposed between a pair of electrodes in a capacitive deionization apparatus so as to provide a space for flowing a fluid therethrough. The spacer structure includes a copolymer prepared by copolymerizing a mixture of a polyurethane backbone including a carboxyl group or a sulfonic acid group, an ion conductive monomer including a carboxyl group and a cation exchange group, and a second polymer including a functional group that reacts with the carboxyl group or sulfonic acid group and forms a cross-linking bond with the polyurethane backbone.