Crystal facet controlled stable PbO2 electrode for efficient degradation of tetracycline

Abstract

• The robust PbO 2 electrodes had high onset potential. • The crystal plane strategy was adopted to modify the PbO 2 surface structure. • The modified electrode improved electrode life and reduced lead dissolution. • The modified electrode achieved efficient degradation of tetracycline wastewater. Achieving the robust PbO 2 electrode with the high onset potential is of considerable importance for applying electrochemical pollutants degradation. Herein, the crystal plane strategy was adopted to modify the PbO 2 surface structure through the surfactant induction during synthesis in the electrodeposition process. PbO 2 (β(3 0 1)) and PbO 2 (α(2 0 0), β(3 0 1)) electrodes were obtained by the controlling conditions of surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). Compared with conventional PbO 2 , the PbO 2 (CTAB) electrode exhibits outstanding performance in electrochemical stability and higher onset potential versus the PbO 2 (SDS). Accelerated life of the PbO 2 (CTAB) electrode is 147 h longer than that of the pure PbO 2 under a high current density of 1A·cm −2 , and the amount of lead ion dissolution is only 45% of that observed in pure PbO 2 . In this work, tetracycline (TC) was taken as an example to evaluate the degradation effect of electrodes. Due to its unique crystal texture, the PbO 2 (CTAB) electrode exhibits higher COD removal rate and TOC removal rate, 35% and 20% respectively beyond that of the conventional lead dioxide electrode. Therefore, it is of great value for its industrial electrode degradation of pollutants.