When MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) meet Ti/PbO₂: An improved electrocatalytic activity and stability

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Engineering
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Electrochemical degradation requires stable electrode materials with high catalytic activity for treating refractory organic pollutants.
• Existing electrodes often face limitations in efficiency and stability for complex wastewater treatment scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel PbO2 electrode utilizing a MXene (Ti3C2Tx) interlayer for enhanced electrochemical performance.
• To investigate the impact of the Ti3C2Tx interlayer on the catalytic activity and efficiency in degrading basic fuchsin (BF) and chemical oxygen demand (COD).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Ti3C2Tx interlayer via electrophoretic deposition (EPD) onto a substrate.
• Preparation of a novel EPD-2.0/PbO2 electrode incorporating the Ti3C2Tx interlayer.
• Electrochemical characterization and performance testing for the degradation of basic fuchsin (BF) and COD.

Main Results:

• The EPD-2.0/PbO2 electrode exhibited significantly improved electrochemical properties, including a 9.51-fold decrease in charge transfer resistance.
• Inner active sites increased by 5.21 times, and hydroxyl radical (∙OH) generation ability enhanced by 4.07 times compared to the control electrode.
• Achieved nearly 100% basic fuchsin (BF) removal and 86.78% COD removal efficiency within 3.0 hours of electrolysis.

Conclusions:

• The novel PbO2 electrode with a Ti3C2Tx interlayer demonstrates high efficiency and stability for electrochemical degradation of refractory organic pollutants.
• The Ti3C2Tx interlayer is a promising strategy for fabricating advanced anode materials for wastewater treatment applications.
• This approach shows potential for broader application in developing efficient anodes for various pollutants, such as SnO2, MnO2, and TiO2.