Electrooxidation of p-Chlorophenol at Ti/PbO2 Electrode

The electrocatalytic activity of Ti/PbO2 anode to the oxidation of p-chlorolphenol was studied by linear sweeping voltammetry and galvanostatic electrolysis in an undivided electrolytic cell. The mechanism of p-chlorolphenol electrocatalytic oxidation was explored by HPLC of p-chlorophenol and its oxidation intermediates in anodic processe. The results indicated that Ti/PbO2 electrode could effectively electrocatalyze the oxidation of p-chlorophenol and its intermediates in an aqueous solution. The conversion ratio of p-chlorophenol and the removal ratio of organic carbon compounds have achieved 96.73% and 39.90% in the electrolytic time of 3.0 h respectively. The electrolysis was carried out with constant current 50 mA/cm² at 25square in the aqueous solution and its initial concentration of p-chlorophenol was 2 mmol/L. The pathway of electrooxidation degradation of p-chlorophenol may be p-chlorophenol rarr p-hydroquinone rarr p-benzoquinone rarr maleic acid rarr oxalic acid, and the final products are carbon dioxide and water. The electrooxidation of p-hydroquinone is a slow reaction, and the electrooxidation of maleic acid is a fast reaction.