Carbon fiber embroidered flexible electronic fabrics electrocatalysis degrades RhB and inactivates E. coli

Electrocatalytic oxidation has emerged as a novel effluent treatment method that is favorable to the environment on account of its low energy consumption, high treatment efficiency and no secondary pollution. This study used computer-controlled mechanization to embroider conductive carbon fibers on an insulating nylon mesh to form a flexible electronic fabric (FEF) featuring an interdigitated electrode structure, which can be employed for electrocatalytic oxidative degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The prepared FEF was placed in a self-assembled water circulation system. Simultaneously, 1500 mL 20 mg/L RhB and 108 CFU/mL E. coli solution can be removed via electrocatalytic oxidation in two hours when a current was applied to both ends of the interdigital electrode. The FEF was manufactured with varying electrode spacings but identical surface areas to determine the optimal electrode spacing for the designed circulation system and attain the highest removal efficiency. The contaminant removal rate remained nearly 100 % even after the same FEF was recycled ten times when the sodium chloride concentration in the solution was 0.2 mol/L, the current density was 1.5 mA/cm2 and the FEF electrode distance was 7 mm. Experimental results revealed that the whole degradation process followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic reaction, and the greatest reaction rate can be reached by adjusting degradation conditions. This one-step method to prepare FEF structures that can be recycled multiple times has excellent practical application value by simulating the results of large-scale sewage recycling treatment processes in the laboratory.