Fabrication of Ga2O3–PbO2 electrode and its performance in electrochemical advanced oxidation processes

Abstract

Owing to its high oxygen evolution potential, PbO2 electrode is one of the candidates for electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs). To further improve its performance as EAOP electrode, a Ga2O3-doped PbO2 electrode (Ga2O3–PbO2 electrode) was fabricated by the composite plating method. SEM and XRD results showed that the crystalline in the coating of Ga2O3–PbO2 electrode is more uniform and in smaller size than that in the undoped PbO2 electrode, which provided a higher specific surface area. The electrochemical studies showed that the Ga2O3–PbO2 electrode had higher oxygen evolution potential (OEP) and smaller electrode surface impedance, which is a benefit for the formation of hydroxyl radicals (·OH). The electrochemically degradation test using bromocresol green sodium (BG) solution and glucose solution as the simulated wastewater showed that the kinetics of electrochemical catalytic degradation is a pseudo-first-order reaction, and the reaction rate constant on Ga2O3–PbO2 electrode was 2 times accelerated.