Influence of Ni concentration on the electrochemical activity and stability of ATO-based electrodes

Abstract

Antimony doped tin (IV) oxide (ATO) has emerged as an acceptable electrode material for wastewater treatment due to its low cost and excellent electrochemical activity toward organics oxidation. However, achieving high electrochemical stability remains a grand challenge. Based on this fact, it is necessary to find a feasible method to prepare a novel ATO-based electrode that remains stable in the electrochemical oxidation process (EOP). In this work, we introduced NiO as a modifier material to prolong the service lifetime without losing its electrochemical oxidation performance. The effects of Ni concentration in TiO2@ATO@NiO (TAN-x, x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0) electrodes on the oxygen evolution potential (OEP), service lifetime, and electrochemical performance for degrading methylene blue (MB) were investigated. Results demonstrated that the addition of NiO significantly improve the electrochemical activity and service lifetime. TAN-0.6 electrode exhibited better electrochemical performance and longer electrode lifetime in comparison with other counterparts. These merits coupled with the high roughness factor and voltammetric charge offer a rational strategy to develop high-quality ATO-based electrodes.