Study on the performance of an improved Ti/SnO2–Sb2O3/PbO2 based on porous titanium substrate compared with planar titanium substrate

Abstract

This present work focused on systematically studying the effect of a porous Ti substrate on the surface structure and electrochemical properties of lead dioxide electrodes prepared by anodic deposition under galvanostatic conditions. Characterization experiments, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), accelerated life time testing and a degradation experiment of methylene blue trihydrate were performed to determine the effect of different Ti substrates. Compared with the planar Ti substrate, the results showed that the porous Ti substrate decreased the grain size of lead dioxide and formed a compact and fine surface coating. The electrode had smaller crystalline particles and a more compact structure. The porous Ti/SnO₂–Sb₂O₃/PbO₂ electrode had a higher oxygen evolution overpotential, a larger active surface area and higher electrochemical activity. The lifetime of the porous Ti/SnO₂–Sb₂O₃/PbO₂ electrode (214 h) was 3.69 times higher than that of the planar Ti/SnO₂–Sb₂O₃/PbO₂ electrode (58 h). Moreover, the degradation rate constant of methylene blue trihydrate on the porous Ti substrate lead dioxide electrode (0.03868 min⁻¹) was 1.52 times than that of the planar Ti substrate lead dioxide electrode (0.02542 min⁻¹).