Electrochemical behaviour of modified SnO2 anodes in the presence of phenolic pollutants

Abstract

This paper deals with the electrochemical behavior of modified SnO2 anodes to be used for the degradation of phenol compounds. The electrochemical behaviour of the modified SnO2 anodes in the presence of nonylphenols ethoxylates (NPE) was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The following electrodic compositions were used: Ti/SnO2–Sb2O5 (molar ratio Sb:Sn in precursors solution 3:97) (C1); Ti/RuO2/SnO2-Sb2O5 (molar ratio Sb:Sn in precursors solution 3:97) (C2) and Ti/RuO2/SnO2-Sb2O5 (molar ratio Sb:Sn in precursors solution 9:91) (C3). The experiments were carried out in 0.1M Na2SO4 supporting electrolyte and NFE with 9, 16 and 40 ethoxy units (NF9, NF16 and NF40). The pollutant concentration in the working solutions was 100 mg L-1. The oxygen evolution occurred at higher potential value on C1 electrode than the electrodic compositions with intermediate layer of RuO2 (i.e. C2 or C3 electrodes).