Evaluation of Highly Stable Anode Materials for Electrochemical Oxidation of Contaminants in Water

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AbstractProposal Title: Boron Doped Diamond Films and Semiconducting Titanium Dioxide as Stable Electrodes for Anodic Incineration of Organic Compound in Wastewater Proposal Number: CTS-0522790Principal Investigator: James FarrellInstitution: University of Arizona Analysis (rationale for decision):The goal of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of novel anode materials for electrochemically oxidizing organic contaminants in water. Electrochemical water treatment removes organic contaminants from water by: 1) direct oxidation at the anode surface; 2) indirect oxidation by hydroxyl radicals, ozone and hydrogen peroxide produced from water oxidation; and 3) indirect oxidation by reactive species produced from oxidation of the electrolyte, such as hypochlorite in waters containing chloride and sulfate ions. Electrochemical water treatment can be used to completely oxidize organic contaminants into carbon dioxide and water, or can be used to partially oxidize toxic and/or nonbiodegradable compounds into nontoxic or biodegradable ones. The overall objective of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of boron doped titania, "reduced" titania, and nobium-doped rutile electrodes for oxidation of fluorinated surfactants, which have long been used in household products and in high purity chemicals used in electronics manufacturing. These electrodes will be evaluated in terms of: 1) reaction rates and products for water oxidation; 2) effects of concentration, electrode potential, and solution pH; 3) specific organic compound oxidation rates; and 4) long-term stability under water treatment conditions. A broad range of education impacts will be addressed in the proposal for graduate and undergraduate students, especially from under-represented minorities. Several mentoring programs are already in place and have demonstrated excellent results. Improved water decontamination has strong societal impacts for both environmental restoration and manufacturing, especially in the semiconductor industry. Long-term progress on sustainability issues related to other industries is also anticipated from the research.