# US 2025/0154031 A1 · Systems and Methods for Water Purification > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0154031 A1 - Document ID: US20250154031A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/947,985 - Filed: 2024-11-14 - Published: 2025-05-15 - Earliest claimed: 2023-11-14 - Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System - Applicants: Board of Regents, the University of Texas System - Inventors: Donglei FAN; Xianfu LUO; Weigu LI; Yifei LIU; Huifeng LI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250154031A1 ## CPC - C02F 1/48: with magnetic or electric fields (C02F1/46 takes precedence) - C23C 16/01: on temporary substrates, e.g. substrates subsequently removed by etching - C23C 16/26: Deposition of carbon only - C25D 5/04: Electroplating with moving electrodes - C25D 5/50: by heat-treatment - C25D 5/623: {Porosity of the layers} - C02F 2201/48: Devices for applying magnetic or electric fields - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR ## Abstract Disclosed are methods and systems for water purification. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for removing bacteria from a water sample, the method comprising introducing water comprising a population of bacteria into a purification chamber, wherein the purification chamber comprises a plurality of electrodes; generating an AC electric field within the purification chamber for a period of time effective to induce migration and capture of at least a portion of the bacteria on the plurality of electrodes; and removing the water from the purification chamber; wherein each of the plurality of electrodes comprises a porous dendritic graphite foam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged in a substantially parallel orientation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of electrodes are separated by an inter-electrode distance of from 25 microns to 1000 microns. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise from four to one hundred electrodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating an AC electric field comprises applying a voltage of from greater than 0 V to 20 V. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, AC electric field has a frequency of from 1 Hz to 80 MHz. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating an AC electric field comprises generating the AC electric field for from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams comprise porous graphite struts deposed on a surface of a core. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the struts comprise porous dendrites. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams have a thickness of at least 100 μm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams have an average pore size from 1-10,000 nm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams have a BET surface area of at least 5.0 m2/g. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams have an areal density of at least 0.01 mg/cm2. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams have a volumetric surface area of at least 0.01 m2/cm3. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the porous dendritic graphite foams are made by a method that comprises: (a) placing a conductive substrate in an electrolyte solution, wherein the electrolyte solution is in electrical communication with an electrode; (b) applying an electric current via the electrode sufficient to grow metal dendrites on the surface of the conductive substrate; (c) annealing the metal dendrites and conductive substrate; (d) depositing carbon upon the annealed metal dendrites and the conductive substrate; and (e) removing the annealed metal dendrites and conductive substrate to obtain a three-dimensional graphite foam comprising porous graphite dendrites radiating from a porous core. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the electric current is applied to the conductive substrate from 25-500 C/in2, relative to the surface area of the conductive substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein step (b) comprises: (b1) applying an electric current via the electrode sufficient to grow metal dendrites on the surface of the conductive substrate; (b2) rotating the metal substrate relative to the electrode; and (b3) applying an electric current via the electrode sufficient to grow metal dendrites on the surface of the rotated conductive substrate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the depositing step comprises chemical vapor deposition or hydrothermal synthesis using a carbon source, or thermal annealing of a carbon source coated on the surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the carbon source comprises a C2-4 hydrocarbon or a carbon-backboned polymer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the conductive substrate is removed by chemical etching.