Basalt fabric-based cathode enhances solar-powered wastewater treatment

The rapid growth of industrialization has made the treatment of oily wastewater a pressing global challenge in environmental remediation. Electrocoagulation (EC), a process known for its high efficiency and environmental sustainability, has shown promise in treating various types of wastewater. However, the widespread adoption of traditional EC technology is hindered by challenges such as costly electrode materials, energy-intensive operations, and complex manufacturing processes.

To address these limitations, a research team led by Prof. Abudukeremu Kadier and Prof. Ma Pengcheng from the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (XTIPC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed a novel cathode material for use in solar-powered electrocoagulation (SPEC) systems.

The researchers designed a highly conductive basalt fabric (BF) composite by coating it with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and silver nanowires (AgNWs). This cathode material not only exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity (1.66 × 10⁴ S/m) but also demonstrates enhanced mechanical stability and significant antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus.

In experiments, the SPEC system equipped with the BF-CNT/AgNWs cathode achieved a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 90.28% for simulated oil-water emulsions. The system also demonstrated low energy consumption (1.28 kWh·kg⁻¹ COD) and minimal electrode consumption (0.35 kg·m⁻³). By leveraging solar energy, the researchers further reduced operational costs, making the process both economically and environmentally sustainable.

The findings, published in the Journal of Environmental Management, highlight the potential of this new approach to advance wastewater treatment technologies, offering a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for industrial applications.