Conversion materials for electrochemical removal of chloride-containing salts from water

A device for removing chloride-containing salts from water, comprising:

• a container configured to contain a saline water solution having a first concentration c1 of chloride ions;
• a first electrode arranged in fluid communication with the saline water solution, the first electrode including a conversion material that is insoluble in the saline water solution, the conversion material having a composition that includes at least two or more of aluminum, chlorine, copper, iron, oxygen, and potassium, the composition variable over a range with respect to a quantity of chloride ions per formula unit;
• and
• a power source configured to supply current to the first electrode so as to induce a reversible conversion reaction in which the conversion material (i) associates with the chloride ions in the saline water solution in a first operating state to generate a treated water solution having a second concentration c2 of the chloride ions and (ii) dissociates the chloride ions therefrom into the saline water solution in a second operating state to generate a wastewater solution having a third concentration c3 of the chloride ions where c3>c1>c2, wherein the conversion material is represented by the formula AlCuClx, where 0≤x≤4.

A device for removing chloride-containing salts from water, comprising:

• a container configured to contain a saline water solution having a first concentration c1 of chloride ions;
• a first electrode arranged in fluid communication with the saline water solution, the first electrode including a conversion material that is insoluble in the saline water solution, the conversion material having a composition that includes at least two or more of aluminum, chlorine, copper, iron, oxygen, and potassium, the composition variable over a range with respect to a quantity of chloride ions per formula unit;
• and
• a power source configured to supply current to the first electrode so as to induce a reversible conversion reaction in which the conversion material (i) associates with the chloride ions in the saline water solution in a first operating state to generate a treated water solution having a second concentration c2 of the chloride ions and (ii) dissociates the chloride ions therefrom into the saline water solution in a second operating state to generate a wastewater solution having a third concentration c3 of the chloride ions where c3>c1>c2, wherein the conversion material is represented by the formula CuClx, where 0≤x≤4.

A device for removing chloride-containing salts from water, comprising:

• a container configured to contain a saline water solution having a first concentration c1 of chloride ions;
• a first electrode arranged in fluid communication with the saline water solution, the first electrode including a conversion material that is insoluble in the saline water solution, the conversion material having a composition that includes at least two or more of aluminum, chlorine, copper, iron, oxygen, and potassium, the composition variable over a range with respect to a quantity of chloride ions per formula unit;
• and
• a power source configured to supply current to the first electrode so as to induce a reversible conversion reaction in which the conversion material (i) associates with the chloride ions in the saline water solution in a first operating state to generate a treated water solution having a second concentration c2 of the chloride ions and (ii) dissociates the chloride ions therefrom into the saline water solution in a second operating state to generate a wastewater solution having a third concentration c3 of the chloride ions where c3>c1>c2, wherein the conversion material is represented by the formula KFeCl4-x, where 0≤x≤1.