Electrochemical oxidation of 4-chlorophenol on manganese-doped PbO2 electrode

The pure PbO2 electrode and the composite PbO2-MnO2 electrode, modified by adding manganese mineral (75% MnO2, Mn powder), were prepared by the high pressure molding method. The effectiveness of the composite electrode for electrochemical degradation of organic pollutants was studied using 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) as a model toxic organic. The experimental results demonstrate that the electrochemical oxidation activity of PbO2 electrode was improved by the addition of manganese mineral. The enhancement of the electrode for electrochemical oxidation of organics could be attributed to the adsorption and oxygenation of manganese mineral and the production of hydroxyl radicals in the solution. The degradation efficiency of 4-chlorophenol could be raised considerably by reducing pH, prolonging the electrolysis time and increasing the electric power. The degradation accords with stair kinetic process, and the correlative coefficient was above 0.99.