Preparation of Ti/PTFE-F-PbO2 Electrode with a Long Life from the Sulfamic Acid Bath and Its Application in Organic Degradation

A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-doped PbO2 electrode on a Ti substrate was prepared by galvanostatic method from the sulfamic acid bath (Ti/PTFE-F-PbO2-I) or nitric acid bath (Ti/PTFE-F-PbO2-II). Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that the Ti/PTFE-PbO2-I electrode had a more regular morphology with smaller size crystals than the Ti/PTFE-F-PbO2-II electrode. On the basis of the results of both the accelerated electrolysis test and the empirical formula for estimating the service life of an electrode, the service life of the Ti/PTFE-PbO2-I electrode was predicted to be more than 7 years under conventional electrolysis conditions (0.1 A·cm−2). During the treatment of 4-chlorophenol- contaminated water, the Ti/PTFE-PbO2-I anode showed both a good electro-catalytic activity and high electrochemical stability, exhibiting an excellent potential application.