SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION OF UV- AND SOLAR-DRIVEN TRANSPARENT PHOTOELECTRODES FOR THE PHOTOELECTROCATALYTIC TREATMENT OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS

Abstract

Transparent photoanodes based on various photocatalysts deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glasses were synthesized for the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of phenol and emerging contaminants under UV or solar irradiation, respectively. FTO-TiO2 was found to be an excellent anode material for the degradation of organic pollutants at high anodic potentials through the formation of electrochemically-induced hVB+ (dark PEC). Besides, visible light-responsive photoelectrodes were also fabricated to maximumly utilize solar light since FTO-TiO2 only respond to the UV region. FTO-BiMoVO4 performed the best photoelectrocatalytic performance as a photoanode. The composites of TiO2 and carbon quantum dots were generated in different ways. The photoelectrocatalytic performance of FTO-TiO2-CD presented better degradation rate than FTO-TiO2 under solar irradiation, while a similar degradation rate with FTO-TiO2 under UV irradiation. Overall, the results demonstrated the great potential of the photocatalysts-coated FTO photoelectrodes for the treatment of hazardous organic pollutants by PEC and/or PEC-PEF.