Preparation of Ti3C2Tx modified rare earth doped PbO2 electrodes for efficient removal of sulfamethoxazole

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we deposited Ti3C2Tx-modified, rare-earth-doped PbO2 on the surface of a carbon fabric via electrodeposition. The surface morphology and electronic structure of the electrode were characterized with SEM, XRD and XPS. The layered Ti3C2Tx did not change the structure of β-PbO2, and at the same time, it improved the crystallinity of the material and reduced the grains of PbO2. Electrochemical experiments showed that the addition of Ti3C2Tx increased the electrochemical activity of the electrode and produced more H2O2, which contributed to the degradation of pollutants. The efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation reached 95% after 120 min at pH 3 with a current density of 50 mA/cm2. Moreover, the electrode has good cycling performance, and the degradation efficiency was still 80% after 120 min after 10 cycles of recycling. Based on the intermediates identified by HPLC‒MS, a mechanism for SMX degradation was proposed. Our results will provide a new idea for the development of efficient electrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics.