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Photoelectrocatalytic Surfactant Pollutant Degradation and Simultaneous Green Hydrogen Generation
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Rachel Townsend ,
Vijayshankar Asokan ,
Trystan Watson ,
Ruth Godfrey ,
M. Mercedes Maroto-Valer,
Moritz Kuehnel,
Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Volume: 62, Issue: 45, Pages: 19084 - 19094
Swansea University Authors:
Katie Davies, Michael Allan, Rachel Townsend , Trystan Watson , Ruth Godfrey , Moritz Kuehnel, Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu
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DOI (Published version): 10.1021/acs.iecr.3c00840
Abstract
For the first time, we demonstrate a photoelectrocatalysis technique for simultaneous surfactant pollutant degradation and green hydrogen generation using mesoporous WO3/BiVO4 photoanode under simulated sunlight irradiation. The materials properties such as morphology, crystallite structure, chemica...
| Published in: | Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research |
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| ISSN: | 0888-5885 1520-5045 |
| Published: |
American Chemical Society (ACS)
2023
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65139 |
| Abstract: |
For the first time, we demonstrate a photoelectrocatalysis technique for simultaneous surfactant pollutant degradation and green hydrogen generation using mesoporous WO3/BiVO4 photoanode under simulated sunlight irradiation. The materials properties such as morphology, crystallite structure, chemical environment, optical absorbance, and bandgap energy of the WO3/BiVO4 films are examined and discussed. We have tested the anionic type (sodium 2-naphthalenesulfonate (S2NS)) and cationic type surfactants (benzyl alkyl dimethylammonium compounds (BAC-C12)) as model pollutants. A complete removal of S2NS and BAC-C12 surfactants at 60 and 90 min, respectively, by applying 1.75 V applied potential vs RHE to the circuit, under 1 sun was achieved. An interesting competitive phenomenon for photohole utilization was observed between surfactants and adsorbed water. This led to the formation of H2O2 from water alongside surfactant degradation (anode) and hydrogen evolution (cathode). No byproducts were observed after the direct photohole mediated degradation of surfactants, implying its advantage over other AOPs and biological processes. In the cathode compartment, 82.51 μmol/cm2 and 71.81 μmol/cm2 of hydrogen gas were generated during the BAC-C12 and S2NS surfactant degradation process, respectively, at 1.75 V RHE applied potential. |
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| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
S.P. acknowledges European Regional Development Fund for providing Ser Cymru-II Rising Star Fellowship through Welsh Government (80761-SU-102-West)and supports this work. Also, S.P. thanks Heriot-Watt University for start-up grant support .S.P. and M.F.K. acknowledge support from the Welsh Government (Sêr CymruIII−Tackling Covid-19, Project 076 Re CoVir).EPSRC partially supported this work through a DTA studentship to M.A. (EP/R51312X/1) and a capital investment grant to M.K. (EP/S017925/1).M.F.K.thanks Swansea University for providing start-up funds. |
| Issue: |
45 |
| Start Page: |
19084 |
| End Page: |
19094 |