Application of Ti/IrO2 electrode in the electrochemical oxidation of the TNT red water

Via the thermal sintering, a nanocrystalline IrO2 coating was formed on the Ti substrate to successfully prepare a Ti/IrO2 electrode. Based on the electrochemical analysis, the prepared Ti/IrO2 electrode was found to have powerful oxidation effect on the organics in the TNT red water, where the nitro compound was oxidized through an irreversible electrochemical process at 0.6 V vs. SCE. According to the analysis of the nitro compound content, the UV-vis spectra, and the FTIR spectra of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) red water with electrolytic periods, the degradation mechanism of the dinitrotoluene sulfonate (DNTS) was developed. And the intermediates were characterized by UPLC-HRMS. The DNTS mainly occurred one electron transfer reaction on the Ti/IrO2 electrode. At the early stage of the electrolysis, the polymerization of DNTS was mainly dominated. The generated polymer did not form a polymer film on the electrode surface, but instead it promoted a further reduction. After electrolyzing for 30 h, all NO2 function group in the TNT red water was degraded completely. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.