Preparation of palladium–nickel loaded titanium electrode with surfactant assistance and its application in pentachlorophenol reductive dechlorination

Abstract

Palladium–nickel (Pd–Ni) bimetallic electrodes were prepared by electrodeposition method assisted with surfactants of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium lauryl sulfonate (SLS) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The prepared Pd–Ni electrodes were characterized in terms of cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The electrode prepared with CTAB assistance, Pd–Ni(CTAB)/Ti, with higher electrochemical activity, was applied to the dechlorination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in aqueous solution. The influences of dechlorination current and initial pH value on the PCP removal were studied. Complete removal could be achieved at ambient temperature under the conditions of constant current of 3mA and initial pH value of 2.1 on the Pd–Ni(CTAB)/Ti electrode within 90min. Moreover, decay kinetics and apparent activation energy of PCP dechlorination were investigated.