Electrolytic treatment of crystal violet by TiO2-Fe-C electrodes

Three-dimensional (3D) electrolysis was a pollution-free method for wastewater treatment. The degradation effect of an ordinary activated carbon as a granular electrode was relatively poor. Therefore, TiO2-C, Fe-C and TiO2-Fe-C particle electrodes were prepared and employed for the degradation of crystal violet (CV). The effects of different mass ratios of TiO2:C, Fe:C, TiO2:Fe:C and different roasting temperatures on the degradation of CV using three different kinds of activated carbon were investigated. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate, CV decolorization rate and current efficiency were used as indicators. When TiO2:Fe:C = 8%:0.9%:1 and roasting temperature was 400 degrees C, the TiO2-Fe-C particle electrode was the best activated carbon, with COD removal efficiency, CV decolorization efficiency and current efficiency at 81, 91 and 94%, respectively. Three-particle electrodes were analyzed by the FT-IR, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and XRD to confirm that the micro-structure of the TiO2-Fe-C particle electrode was rough, and it contained Fe2O3 and TiO2. The change in the aromatic structure during the degradation process was analyzed by UV spectrum, and center dot OH was determined as the key to degradation by the TERT butanol alcohol (TBA) experiment. The mechanism of CV degradation by 3D electrolysis with TiO2-Fe-C as the particle electrode was proposed.