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Published on: April 16, 2017
Molybdenum-Carbon Xerogel Composites for ORR-Based Electro-Catalytic Applications
Luis A Cavazos-Cuello1,2, Abdelhakim Elmouwahidi1, Esther Bailón-García1
1Materiales Polifuncionales Basados en Carbono (UGR-Carbon), Dpto. Química Inorgánica, Unidad de Excelencia Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente, Universidad de Granada, ES18071 Granada, Spain.
Molybdenum-doped xerogels efficiently degrade tetracycline (TTC) antibiotic using the electro-Fenton process. Doping with molybdenum enhances electrocatalytic activity and removal efficiency for wastewater treatment.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Tetracycline (TTC) is a widely used antibiotic, and its presence in wastewater poses environmental and health risks.
- Effective methods for removing TTC from contaminated water are crucial for environmental protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize molybdenum-doped xerogel composites.
- To investigate the application of these composites in the electro-degradation of tetracycline (TTC).
- To understand the role of molybdenum loading on the electrocatalytic properties and degradation efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Molybdenum-doped xerogel composites with varying Mo content (1, 6, 14 wt%) were synthesized via RF sol-gel polymerization.
- Characterization included textural, chemical, and electrochemical analyses, focusing on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
- The electro-Fenton process was employed for TTC degradation using the synthesized xerogels.
Main Results:
- Molybdenum doping significantly influenced the ORR mechanism, with lower Mo content favoring a four-electron pathway and higher content promoting bifunctional behavior (H2O2 generation and hydroxyl radical production).
- Both undoped and doped xerogels showed high activity for TTC degradation.
- The presence of MoO3 and Mo2C phases in the doped xerogels improved TTC removal efficiency by up to 12% after 480 minutes.
Conclusions:
- Molybdenum-doped xerogels are effective electrocatalysts for tetracycline degradation.
- The doping concentration and resulting phases (MoO3, Mo2C) are critical for optimizing the electro-Fenton process performance.
- These materials show promise for advanced oxidation processes in wastewater treatment.
