Novel bentonite particle electrodes based on Fenton catalyst and its application in Orange II removal

Abstract

Novel particle electrodes, Fe species-modified bentonite (Fe-Bent) were synthesized using a rapid and completely green method employing aqueous green tea extracts as both the reducing and capping agents. The prepared Fe-Bent was characterized using UV–vis spectra, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and Fourier transform infrared spectra techniques, and then utilized as heterogeneous Fenton catalyst to constitute a three-dimensional electro-Fenton (3D/E-Fenton) system for decolorization of orange II in aqueous solution. Batch experiment results show that 98.89 and 71.57% of decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were obtained at 0.5 g of Fe-Bent dosage, 0.05 mol L⁻¹ Na₂SO₄, and initial solution pH of 6.4, respectively. The evolution of instantaneous current efficiency shows that the 3D/E-Fenton system exhibited higher efficiency for orange II degradation than that of 2D system. In addition, the possible mechanism of the 3D/E-Fenton system in the degradation of orange II was also discussed.

Keywords:

• Fe-Bent
• Green tea extracts
• Orange II
• 3D/E-Fenton

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to be supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (GK201302013).