Facile preparation of a Ti/α-PbO2/β-PbO2 electrode for the electrochemical degradation of 2-chlorophenol

A Ti/alpha-PbO2/beta-PbO2 electrode with high stability was prepared and examined toward the electrochemical degradation of 2-chlorophenol. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that Ti/alpha-PbO2/beta-PbO2 had a cauliflower morphology comprising small beta-PbO2 crystals. The 2-chlorophenol removal rate using the Ti/alpha-PbO2/beta-PbO2 electrode was 100% after 180 min of electrolysis under optimal conditions, which were selected based on the orthogonal test method, i.e., initial concentration of 2-cholorophenol = 50 mg/L, concentration of Na2SO4 = 0.1 mol/L, temperature = 35 degrees C, and anode current density = 20 mA/cm(2). Kinetic analyses demonstrated that the electrochemical oxidation of 2-chlorophenol on the Ti/alpha-PbO2/beta-PbO2 electrode followed pseudo-first order kinetics. (C) 2015, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.