Electrocatalytic Processes on PbO2 Electrodes at High Anodic Potentials

Abstract

The determination of the electrocatalytic activity and selectivity of electrodes with respect to the target process is considered to be of interest both in the theoretical aspect for the development of electrocatalysis theory and in application for efficient electrocatalysts which can be used in electrochemical systems for wastewater treatment. The purpose of the given work was to identify the relationship between the chemical and phase composition of materials based on lead dioxide, their physicochemical properties, and their electrocatalytic activity. The main research methods were quasi-stationary polarization and impedance spectroscopy, photocolorimetry, fluorescent and spectrophotometry in the UV and visible regions, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and high performance liquid chromatography (analysis of the solutions). It was shown that the modification of lead dioxide by ionic additives results in significant changes in the electrocatalytic activity of the system in respect to the oxygen evolution reaction and electrochemical oxidation reactions of organic compounds. It was found that, at low polarizations, the oxygen evolution reaction is limited by the electrochemical desorption step (the second electron transfer), and its overpotential at PbO₂-modified electrodes increases in the order that coincides with the dependence in which the number of oxygen-containing particles strongly bound to the electrode surface increases. It was found that the rate of oxidation of organic substances on the anode materials involved is directly proportional to the amount of oxygen-containing radicals formed on the electrode during the water oxidation.