Effects of Hydrodynamic Conditions on OH Radical Production at Ti/Pt Anodes During Electrochemical Treatment

Abstract

The effects of hydrodynamic conditions on the production of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) during electrochemical treatment using a titanium coated by platinum anode and a stainless steel cathode are discussed in this paper. The sample used was ultra-pure water containing 200 mM of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). The amount of •OH for treatment was measured using electron spin resonance spectrometry coupled with DMPO spin trapping. Under constant hydrodynamic conditions, the production rate of the •OH spin adduct (DMPO-OH) increased with the terminal potential. This result was caused by the change in the electric current density at the anode, which was proportional to the rate of production of DMPO-OH. Increasing the linear velocity of water in an electrolytic cell promoted the production of DMPO-OH by two effects, namely, by the enhancement of ion transportation and the promotion of DMPO transfer from the bulk to the anode. The former effect emerged when the DMPO concentration near the anode was not insignificant in comparison with the DMPO concentration in the bulk, that is, when the overall rate-determining step was the electron transfer at the anode. The latter effect emerged when the DMPO concentration near the anode was much lower than the DMPO concentration in the bulk, that is, when the overall rate-determining step was the diffusion of DMPO from the bulk to the anode. In addition, the latter effect was found to be proportional to the square root of the linear velocity of water in the electrolytic cell.

Keywords:

• ELECTROLYSIS
• SPIN-TRAPPING
• HYDRODYNAMIC CONDITION
• HYDROXYL RADICAL
• DMPO