Ternary semiconductor metal oxide blends grafted Ag@AgCl hybrid as dimensionally stable anode active layer for photoelectrochemical oxidation of organic compounds: Design strategies and photoelectric synergistic mechanism.

Abstract

The development of ultra-efficient, sustainable, and easily accessible anode with relative non-precious semiconducting metal oxides is highly significant for application in the practical treatment of organically polluted water. Herein, we report SnO2, TiO2, and Ag2O ternary semiconductor metal oxide blend grafted Ag@AgCl hybrids, prepared with the one-step sol-gel method and applied as a dimensionally stable anode (DSA)-active layer on a SnO2-Sb/Ti electrode. Factors affecting crystal formation, including the presence or absence of O2 during calcination, the calcination temperature, and Ag@AgCl additive dosage were discussed. The micromorphology, phase composition, and photoelectrochemical activity of the newly designed anode were comprehensively characterized. The optimized preparation, which yielded a solid-solution structure with flat and smooth surface and well-crystallized lattice configuration, occurred in the absence of O2 during calcination at 550 ℃ with an Ag@AgCl additive dosage of 0.2 g in the sol-gel precursor. The newly designed DSA displayed improved electrocatalysis (EC) and photoelectrical catalysis (PEC) capacity. The phenol and its TOC removal efficiency reached 90.65% and 58.17% for 10 mA/cm2 current density with a metal halide lamp in 3 h. The lifespan was four times that of SnO2-Sb/Ti electrode. This proposed DSA construction strategy may support improved EC and PEC reactivities toward the decomposition of organic pollutants.