Synthesis and characterization of DSA®/SnO2-Sb electrodes to be used as anode in electrochemical systems for the degradation of organic pollutants

• Grant number: 16/07121-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2016
• End date: July 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: José Mario de Aquino
• Grantee: Paula Maria de Sousa Bezerra
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The increasing scarcity of potable water and the contamination of surface and ground water require the improvement of treatment methods to treat contaminated water containing synthetic organic compounds in order to reuse it. Thus, this research project aims to synthesize, characterize and, possibly, use films of SnO2 doped Sb (SnO2-Sb), grown under dimensionally stable anode (DSA®/SnO2-Sb) substrates, for the electrochemical oxidation of organic compounds. The synthesis will involve the cathodic co-deposition of the metallic ion precursors followed by thermal oxidation to generate their oxides. It is aimed to investigate the applied current density and the time of electrodeposition, as well as the time and temperature of thermal oxidation. The SnO2-Sb films will be characterized with respect to their morphology, crystalline structure, and electrochemical properties. Possibly, the DSA®/SnO2-Sb electrodes will be tested in the oxidation and mineralization of an antibiotic compound, through the investigation of some operational variables of the electrochemical method. In the end, it is believed to obtain a stable SnO2-Sb film over DSA® with similar electrocatalytic properties as the boron-doped diamond.