Fabrication of a Ti/PbO2 electrode with Sb doped SnO2 nanoflowers as the middle layer for the degradation of methylene blue, norfloxacin and p-dihydroxybenzene

Abstract In the preparation of Sb-SnO2 internal layer of PbO2 electrode, the traditional thermal decomposition method has many problems, such as environmental pollution, short service life and low catalytic activity. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) Sb doped SnO2 nanoflowers interlayer with good conductivity was prepared on the titanium substrate by the hydrothermal strategy to fabricate a novel PbO2 electrode (Ti/Sb-SnO2NFs/PbO2). Compared to the traditional PbO2 anode, a more compact and undulating 3D morphology of Ti/Sb-SnO2NFs/PbO2 electrode exhibited a higher total and inner active sites and stronger ·OH generation ability. Specifically, three typical organics, methylene blue (MB), norfloxacin (NOR) and p-dihydroxybenzene (p-DHB), were effectively degraded by the novel Ti/Sb-SnO2NFs/PbO2 electrode with economic energy consumption and the degradation mechanism of MB was also investigated. This 3D interlayer also improved the anode stability and safety with the lifetime prolonged about 2.70 times (from 30.1 h to 81.3 h). Consequently, this work offers a meaningful method to prepare PbO2 anode with high catalytic activity and good stability for wastewater treatment.