Investigation into the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol utilizing a three-dimensional electrocatalytic reactor filled with fluorine-doped copper-carbon particle electrodes

The three-dimensional particle electrode system exhibits significant potential for application in the treatment of wastewater. Nonetheless, the advancement of effective granular electrodes characterized by elevated catalytic activity and minimal energy consumption continues to pose a significant challenge. In this research, Fluorine-doped copper-carbon (F/Cu-GAC) particle electrodes were effectively synthesized through an impregnation-calcination technique, utilizing granular activated carbon as the carrier and fluorine-doped modified copper oxides as the catalytic agents. The particle electrodes were subsequently utilized to promote the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) in a three-dimensional electrocatalytic reactor (3DER). The F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes were polarized under the action of electric field, which promoted the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction in which H₂O₂ generated by two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e-ORR) of O₂ was catalytically decomposed to •OH. The 3DER equipped with F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes showed 100% removal of 2,4,6-TCP and 79.24% removal of TOC with a specific energy consumption (EC) of approximately 0.019 kWh/g·COD after 2 h of operation. The F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes exhibited an overpotential of 0.38 V and an electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) of 715 cm², as determined through linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) assessments. These findings suggest a high level of electrocatalytic performance. Furthermore, the catalytic mechanism of the 3DER equipped with F/Cu-GAC particle electrodes was elucidated through the application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron spin resonance (ESR), and active species capture experiments. This investigation offers a novel approach for the effective degradation of 2,4,6-TCP.