Organic pollutant collection and electrochemical CO2 reduction promoted by pH-Responsive surfactants

• Published in: Journal of molecular liquids Vol. 352; p. 118726
• Main Authors: Zhou, Mu-Han, Liao, Yi-Fan, Deng, Meng-Xin, Huang, Yu-Mei, Jian, Jing-Xin, Tong, Qing-Xiao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.04.2022
• Subjects: CO2 capture; Electrolysis; Energy conversion; pH-responsive surfactant; Pollutants collection; Recycle source; pH-responsive surfactant; Recycle source; CO2 capture; Electrolysis; Pollutants collection; Energy conversion
• ISSN: 0167-7322
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.118726

[Display omitted] •PH-responsive surfactants dramatically enhanced the saturation concentrations of organic pollutants in water.•PH-responsive surfactant solutions were recyclable in the organic-pollutant collection cycle.•PH-responsive surfactants increased the CO2-reduction current in electrolysis.•This work provides new inspiration for the capture of CO2 to produce fuels. PH-responsive surfactants with controllable self-assembly properties are expected to become recyclable sources for collecting organic pollutants and capturing CO2 in aqueous solutions. In this work, F9-N2-mor exhibits remarkable pollutant-collection and CO2-capture properties, which are confirmed by the saturation concentrations of Mes-Acr-Me+ and pyrene dyes increasing 78.7-fold and 54.1-fold, respectively, and the electrochemical CO2 reduction current being enhanced 3.22-fold. The promoted pollutant collection and electrochemical CO2 reduction in these pH-responsive surfactants are outstanding compared to the commercial surfactants SDS and SDBS. More interestingly, these pH-responsive surfactants defoam at pH values below 4, and are easily recycled. Overall, pH-responsive surfactants provide a new inspiration for pollutant collection, oil removal and CO2 conversion.