New Anode Materials for Electrolytic Persulfate Formation

摘要

Novel carbon-based electrode materials were prepared by a surface modification technique known as specific fluorination for use as anodes in the electrolytic production of persulfates. The specific fluorination process creates a stabilized form of carbon which is protected by fluorinating only the edge sites, grain boundaries, dislocations, and other defects, thus rendering the carbon resistive to oxidative attack at these vulnerable sites. Specific fluorination was accomplished at various levels of fluorine content on vitreous carbon, reticulated vitreous carbon, and two distinct structures of carbon fibers. The technique was successful in decreasing anode deterioration and increasing the current efficiency for persulfate formation over untreated carbon anodes in laboratory glass cells. Conditions were defined experimentally for operating electrochemical cells incorporating these unique anode materials.