Fabrication of an antimony doped tin oxide–graphene nanocomposite for highly effective capacitive deionization of saline water

Abstract

In this study, antimony doped tin oxide loaded reduced graphene oxide (ATO–RGO) nanocomposites were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal approach. As a typical N-type semiconductor, the ATO in the composite can enhance the conductivity between graphene sheets, thus improving the specific capacitance and electrosorption performance. Under the optimal conditions, the largest surface area was 445.2 m² g⁻¹ when the mass content of ATO in the nanocomposite was 20 wt%. The synthesized optimal ATO–RGO electrode displayed excellent specific capacity (158.2 F g⁻¹) and outstanding electrosorptive capacity (8.63 mg g⁻¹) in sodium chloride solution, which were much higher than the corresponding results of pristine graphene (74.3 F g⁻¹ and 3.98 mg g⁻¹). At the same applied voltage, electrosorption capacity and charge efficiency of the ATO–RGO (20 wt%) material were better than those of reported carbon materials in recent years.