Synthesis of PbOx to graphite felt anodes to improve the electro-assisted catalytic wet air oxidation of oxygen species for efficient dye degradation

Electro-assisted catalytic wet air oxidation (ECWAO) is an environmentally-friendly pollutant removal process with energy-saving and mild reaction properties. However, it requires an electrode with high catalytic capacity and stability, and the catalytic mechanism behind the process still needs to be further clarified. Herein, we report a graphite felt (GF)-supported PbOx catalyst which can chemically adsorb oxygen and activate it into free radicals by an anodic electric field to promote wet air oxidation. XRD, SEM, EDS, XPS, BET and TG measurements indicated that PbO and PbO2 were successfully doped and loaded onto the GF, increasing the specific surface area and number of active sites. The best RhB degradation efficiencies achieved were 91.26 % over 15 min and 96.68 % over 90 min. The PbOx@C/GF maintained good catalytic performance over eight cycles in the pH range of 3–11 with negligible metal leaching. The RhB degradation pathway of RhB was analyzed through GC–MS results. A free radical quenching experiment, a contrast experiment, and an electrochemical test revealed the process of oxygen being adsorbed by Pb(II) and activated to degrade organic matter was revealed. Five kinds of dyes were degraded by the electrode via the ECWAO process, and the degradation rate reached over 93.7 % within 90 min. The degradation specific energy consumption (SEC) of probe pollutant RhB is 48.70 kW·h/kg-COD. The industrial practical dye wastewater COD removal rate was close to 100 %, and the SEC was 24.44 kW·h/kg-COD. Therefore, it can be concluded that a graphite felt (GF)-supported PbOx catalyst can act as an anode for ECWAO to chemically adsorb oxygen and activate it into free radicals using an anodic electric field to promote wet air oxidation.