VOLTAGE-CONTROLLED ANION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE, WHICH ALLOWS SELECTIVE ION AFFINITIES FOR WATER DESALINATION, AND DEVICE THAT CONTAINS THIS

摘要

A desalination device includes a container, first and second electrodes, an anion exchange membrane (AEM) and an energy source. The container contains salt water, which has an increased concentration of dissolved salts. The AEM divides the container into first and second compartments in which the first and second electrodes are arranged. The AEM has a continuous porous structure and several negatively charged oxygen functional groups that are coupled to the porous structure. The energy source is configured to selectively apply a voltage to the first and second electrodes. The AEM has a selective permeability when the voltage is applied so that cations in the salt water solution have a first rate of diffusion through the membrane and anions in the salt water solution have a second rate of diffusion through the membrane. The first diffusion rate is less than the second diffusion rate d and greater than or equal to zero.