Degradation of phenol by hydroxyl radicals on different coating lead dioxide electrodes

Lead dioxide electrodes on Ti substrates were prepared by thermal-deposition or electro-deposition. The amount of hydroxyl radicals generated at the electrodes prepared by the above-mentioned two methods was compared with that at the electrodes mingled with Bi or La prepared by electro-deposition. The experimental results indicate that the highest concentration of hydroxyl radicals generated by thermal-deposition, electro-deposition mingled with nothing, electro-deposition mingled with Bi or La was 0.781, 1.048, 1.838 or 2.044 mu mol/L, respectively. When phenol was electrolyzed on the four electrodes at a current density of 30 mA/cm(2), the removal efficiency of phenol after electrolysis for 1.5 h was 87.30%, 93.55%, 97.95% or 98.70%, TOC removal efficiency after electrolysis for 5 h was 86.76%, 94.26%, 98.53% or 99.60%, respectively. Through the degradation experiments of phenol, the amount of hydroxyl radicals was responsible for the removal efficiency of phenol. The electro-catalytic characteristics were investigated by SEM, the generation amount of hydroxyl radicals, the degradation degree of phenol and the stability and conductivity of the electrodes were also investigated. The experimental results indicate that the four electrodes all show good electro-catalytic characteristics; the electro-catalytic characteristics of the electrode mingled with La were superior to those of the other three ones, and the electrochemical degradation of phenol followed one-step reaction dynamics.