Engineering a Pt-nanoparticle modified nanoporous boron-doped diamond electrode for efficient electrochemical ozone production

Abstract

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes are widely recognized ideal anode materials for electrochemical ozone production (EOP) owing to their exceptionally high oxygen evolution potential and excellent anodic stability. Nevertheless, the relatively low intrinsic activity of raw BDD limits its practical application. In this study, a platinum nanoparticle-modified nanoporous BDD (Pt/PBDD) electrode was fabricated to enhance EOP performance. The nanoporous framework of BDD effectively anchored Pt nanoparticles, forming a local microenvironment conducive to the enrichment and stabilization of oxygen intermediates. The optimized Pt/PBDD electrode achieved an exceptionally high Faraday efficiency of 29.0% with a specific energy consumption of 0.085 Wh mg⁻¹, along with remarkable operational stability, demonstrating merely a 10% efficiency loss after 40 h of continuous operation at 100 mA cm⁻². Theoretical calculations revealed that the incorporation of Pt nanoparticles significantly altered the electronic properties of the system, and a distinct synergistic effect between Pt nanoparticles and BDD optimized the adsorption behavior of key oxygen intermediates, thereby facilitating the EOP process. Furthermore, the Pt/PBDD electrode exhibited superior performance in the degradation of methylene blue via in situ ozone-mediated oxidation, highlighting its potential for environmental applications. This work provides new insights for designing efficient and stable diamond-based materials for EOP.