Square-wave pulsed potential driven electrocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol using Fe-Ni/rGO/PPy@NF three...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Chlorinated organic pollutants pose significant environmental risks.
• Efficient and energy-saving degradation methods are crucial for water remediation.
• Electrocatalytic degradation offers a promising approach for pollutant removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an energy-efficient catalytic cathode for removing chlorinated organic pollutants.
• To investigate the efficacy of pulsed electrocatalytic degradation for 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) removal.
• To compare the performance of pulsed versus constant potential electrocatalytic degradation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Fe-Ni/reduced graphite oxide/polymerized polypyrrole@nickel foam catalytic cathode.
• Electrocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) using square-wave pulsed potential.
• Comparison with constant potential electrocatalytic degradation.
• Analysis of radical generation (H* and ·OH) and degradation products.

Main Results:

• Pulsed electrocatalytic degradation achieved 93.79% 4-CP removal at -1.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), outperforming constant potential mode (81.40%).
• The pulsed potential mode mitigated mass transfer limitations, enhancing reaction efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
• Synergistic effects in pulsed mode improved 4-CP mineralization and reduced intermediate concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Pulsed electrocatalytic degradation is a highly efficient and energy-saving method for removing chlorinated organic pollutants.
• The developed catalytic cathode demonstrates significant potential for water treatment applications.
• Optimized potential application mode is key to maximizing electrocatalytic degradation performance.