Electrosorption enhanced electrooxidation of a model organic pollutant at 3D SnO2-Sb electrode in superimposed pulse current mode.

In this work, the novel pulse "electrosorption-electrooxidation-electrosorption" (PESO) mode is developed in the superimposed pulse current system for benzoic acid oxidation. Due to the synergistic effect of electrosorption and electrooxidation at TiO2-NTs/3D-SnO2-Sb electrode in PESO mode, the enhancement of removal efficiency, improvement in mass transport and decrease of energy consumption were significantly obvious. The mechanism for the great enhancement of the mode is analyzed in details. The strengthened interaction between electrode and organics, increased instantaneous currents and lower intermediate accumulation contributed to the significant enhancement of electrochemical performance of the superimposed pulse system. The pulse PESO mode was an efficient and promising method for treating organic pollutants.