Preparation of Ti₃C₂T_x modified rare earth doped PbO₂ electrodes for efficient removal of sulfamethoxazole

In this study, we deposited Ti₃C₂T_x-modified, rare-earth-doped PbO₂ on the surface of a carbon fabric via electrodeposition. The surface morphology and electronic structure of the electrode were characterized with SEM, XRD and XPS. The layered Ti₃C₂T_x did not change the structure of β-PbO₂, and at the same time, it improved the crystallinity of the material and reduced the grains of PbO₂. Electrochemical experiments showed that the addition of Ti₃C₂T_x increased the electrochemical activity of the electrode and produced more H₂O₂, which contributed to the degradation of pollutants. The efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation reached 95% after 120 min at pH 3 with a current density of 50 mA/cm². Moreover, the electrode has good cycling performance, and the degradation efficiency was still 80% after 120 min after 10 cycles of recycling. Based on the intermediates identified by HPLC‒MS, a mechanism for SMX degradation was proposed. Our results will provide a new idea for the development of efficient electrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics.