New Carbon Cloth Electrode Technology May Significantly Cut Costs in Seawater Desalination

A team of engineers from the University of Michigan and Rice University has developed a novel carbon cloth electrode that can effectively remove boron from seawater—potentially reducing the need for expensive chemical treatments in desalination plants. The study was published in the journal Nature Water.

Boron, a naturally occurring element in seawater, is present at concentrations far exceeding safe drinking water standards and can be harmful to crops. Conventional reverse osmosis membranes are not efficient at removing boron, requiring costly post-treatment using additional chemicals.

The new technology relies on specially designed carbon cloth electrodes that selectively adsorb boron while allowing other ions to pass through. The porous structure of the electrodes, rich in oxygen-containing functional groups, binds to boron with high specificity. Electrolysis of water generates hydroxide ions, which charge the boron molecules, enabling them to be captured by the electrode—resulting in purified water.

This method could reduce desalination costs by up to 15%, saving approximately $0.20 per cubic meter of water. Based on the global average daily desalination output of 95 million cubic meters in 2019, the technology could save up to $6.9 billion annually. For large-scale facilities, this translates to millions of dollars in savings each year.

As freshwater scarcity becomes an increasingly urgent global issue—projections suggest that by 2030, freshwater will meet only 40% of global demand—this innovation offers a promising solution. Moreover, the platform’s design allows for the customization of electrode functional groups, potentially enabling the removal of other contaminants such as arsenic, further enhancing its value in advanced water treatment.