Ti-based composite electrodes with Sn-SbOx-enriched interfaces enabling energy-efficient Mn electrowinning in chloride media
摘要
In industrial manganese electrowinning, sluggish gas evolution reaction kinetics at the anode induce excessive overpotential and energy consumption. To address this, we develop a sandwich-structured Ti-based composite electrode featuring a Sn-SbOx-enriched interlayer via facile thermal decomposition oxidation. The engineered electrode achieves an operational potential of 1.24 V (vs. SCE) at 500 A m− 2 in a simulated electrolyte (1.5 M HCl + 1 M NH4Cl), demonstrating a 33 mV overpotential reduction versus unmodified Ti electrodes. This enhancement is attributed to the three functions of the Sn‒Sb interlayer: crystalline refinement, charge transfer resistance reduction, and electrochemical surface area expansion. Notably, robust interfacial integration endows superior corrosion resistance, enabling stable operation for 151 h at 10,000 A m− 2 in 2.5 M HCl. During simulated Mn electrodeposition, the modified electrode delivers 83.21% current efficiency and 4,022.7 kWh energy consumption for one ton of Mn product. This work establishes a scalable synthesis route for high-performance electrowinning anodes while elucidating interlayer-microstructure-electrocatalytic activity relationships.