Development of a TiO2 modified optical fiber electrode and its incorporation into a photoelectrochemical reactor for wastewater treatment.
Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) are used to chemically burn non biodegradable complex organic compounds that are present in polluted effluents. A common approach involves the use of TiO2 semiconductor substrates as either photocatalytic or photoelectrocatalytic materials in reactors that produce a powerful oxidant (hydroxyl radical) that reacts with pollutant species. In this context, the purpose of this work is to develop a new TiO2 based photoanode using an optic fiber support. The novel arrangement of a TiO2 layer positioned on top of a surface modified optical fiber substrate, allowed the construction of a photoelectrochemical reactor that works on the basis of an internally illuminated approach. In this way, a semi-conductive optical fiber modified surface was prepared using 30 microm thickness SnO2:Sb films on which the photoactive TiO2 layer was electrophoretically deposited. UV light transmission experiments were conducted to evaluate the transmittance along the optical fiber covered with SnO2:Sb and TiO2 showing that 43% of UV light reached the optical fiber tip. With different illumination configurations (external or internal), it was possible to get an increase in the amount of photo-generated H(2)O(2) close to 50% as compared to different types of TiO2 films. Finally, the electro-Fenton photoelectrocatalytic Oxidation process studied in this work was able to achieve total color removal of Azo orange II dye (15 mg L(-1)) and a 57% removal of total organic carbon (TOC) within 60 min of degradation time.
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Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Electroquímica, Electrochemistry Department, S.C. Parque, Tecnológico Querétaro Sanfandila, Pedro Escobedo 76703, Querétaro, México.
Arriaga
L G
LG
Rodríguez
F J
FJ
Martínez
L
L
Godínez
Luis A
LA
D000965:Antimony / Q000737:chemistry; D002244:Carbon / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002384:Catalysis; D003116:Color; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004566:Electrodes; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D055100:Optical Fibers; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D018508:Water Purification
C009495:titanium dioxide; D002244:Carbon; D000965:Antimony; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D014025:Titanium