Fig. 5: Faradaic efficiency limits in PEC separations.
a The minimum Faradaic efficiency ηF,min for a separation to be viable at any given initial concentration. b Faradaic efficiency values ηF that may be expected assuming losses of Faradaic efficiency from competing reactions with background species with concentration cbackground, shown for multiple selectivities (Ks). c, d The maximum background concentrations that are tolerated in obtaining the minimum Faradaic efficiency in a, shown for competition with water splitting (c) and background ions (d). Shaded regions indicate the domain of thermodynamic viability.
