Coupling piezo-polarization effect on Ti/BaZrTiO3 anode with sonoelectro-Fenton oxidation for the removal of aspirin in wastewater

This work hereby reports the sonoelectro-Fenton oxidation (SEF) of aspirin in wastewater on Ti/BZT anode and carbon felt cathode. Piezo-polarization effect possessing BaZrTiO3 (BZT) was synthesized and its structural, morphological properties and crystal orientation were examined using XRD, TEM, FESEM, EDS and SAED. The synthesized BZT was immobilized on titanium sheet (Ti) to obtain Ti/BZT anode. The anode was electrochemically characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy while chronoamperometry technique was applied to find out the extent of activation of the piezo-polarization effect of the Ti/BZT anode in the presence of ultrasound irradiation. Applying the prepared anode for SEF oxidation for the mineralization of aspirin in water, an impressive degradation efficiency of 96.36% was attained at optimum operating parameters of 60 W ultrasound power and 10 mAcm−2 applied current density for 120 min. Simultaneous oxidative actions at the surfaces of both piezo-polarizable Ti/BZT anode and carbon felt cathode also contributed to this performance. Furthermore, the presence of ultrasound irradiation in the system immensely boasted to this performance through continuous cleaning of the electrode surfaces and improvement of the electro-regeneration rate of Fenton reagent (Fe2+) at the cathode. The synergy arising from the in situ oxidative actions taking place at both surfaces of the electrodes during SEF oxidation positions the technique as a potent technique for the treatment of organics-polluted water.