Enhanced electrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline in a continuous-flow 3D system using Sb-doped SnO2 modified carbon black particle electrodes
摘要
In this study, a novel composite particle electrode was fabricated by anchoring antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles onto a carbon black/polytetrafluoroethylene (CB-PTFE) matrix to construct a continuous-flow 3D electro-oxidation system for tetracycline (TC) degradation. Characterization results confirmed the formation of a hierarchical porous structure with uniformly distributed rutile ATO crystals, which provided abundant active sites. Under optimized conditions (CB:ATO mass ratio of 1:1, voltage of 10.5 V, pH of 3.65, and HRT of 16.67 min), the system achieved a remarkable TC removal efficiency of 98.19%, significantly outperforming the pristine CB-PTFE and 2D control systems. Mechanistic investigations via radical scavenging experiments revealed a dual-pathway mechanism, where the degradation was driven by the synergistic coupling of reactive oxygen species (primarily O2·− and ·OH) and a robust direct electron transfer (DET) process on the electrode surface. Furthermore, the particle electrodes exhibited excellent mechanical and chemical stability, maintaining approximately 77% degradation efficiency after 24 h of continuous-flow operation. This work provides a promising strategy for designing high-performance 3D electrodes and offers theoretical insights into the complex oxidation mechanisms in antibiotic wastewater remediation.