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Enhanced nitrate reduction over functionalized Pd/Cu electrode with tunable conversion to nitrogen and sodium
Kuan-Ling Chen1, Muhammad Sheraz Ahmad2, Ching-Lung Chen3
1Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan.
The Science of the Total Environment
|January 30, 2023
Summary
This study developed palladium-copper (PdCu) electrocatalysts for wastewater denitrification, achieving ~98% nitrate removal and ~86% nitrogen selectivity. The novel system efficiently degrades nitrate and recovers alkali from water.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Developing effective heteroatomic electrocatalysts for wastewater denitrification is crucial.
- Geometric structure and composition are key factors in catalyst performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize palladium-copper (PdCu) electrocatalysts for wastewater denitrification.
- To evaluate the efficiency of PdCu electrodes in nitrate removal and alkali recovery.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of PdCu electrodes with varying palladium electrodeposition times.
- Analysis using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
- Electrochemical testing for nitrate reduction and alkali recovery.
Main Results:
- Formation of a PdCu alloy with small particle sizes (approx. 5.3 nm) and uniform Pd distribution.
- XPS confirmed the presence of redox states (Pd0 and Cu+2), indicating alloy formation.
- Optimal Pd/Cu electrode (180 s deposition) achieved ~98% nitrate removal and ~86% N2 selectivity at 0.68 mA cm-2, with 335 mM alkali recovery.
Conclusions:
- The developed PdCu electrocatalysts demonstrate high efficiency for nitrate removal from wastewater.
- The integrated electrocatalytic and electrodialysis system is viable for water remediation and alkali recovery.
