A highly active based graphene cathode for the electro-fenton reaction

Abstract

Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) was coated on Carbon Felt (CF) in order to design a novel cathode applied in the Electro-Fenton (EF) reaction for decontamination of wastewater polluted with Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The new cathode was fabricated by an electrophoretic deposition of Graphene Oxide (GO) followed by its electrochemical reduction at a current density of −1.5 mA cm⁻² for 10 min. The modified electrode and GO were characterized by SEM, AFM, XRD and XPS, showing the presence of rGO after optimization of the electrochemical conditions of synthesis. Electrode modification has improved the CF electrochemical properties as proved by the decrease of the charge-transfer resistance (R_ct) determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the increase of the CV response (2.5 times) of the Fe^III/Fe^II couple used as a redox probe. Degradation of Acid Orange 7 (AO7), a model pollutant molecule, was monitored by UV-Vis spectrophotometry at the selected single wavelength λ = 485 nm. The results show that the degradation kinetics were 2 times higher on the graphene modified cathode compared to raw carbon felt proving the efficiency of this modification process.