Palladium loaded carbon nanotubes cathode with well-aligned nanotubes array was successfully fabricated on a titanium foil (Pd/CNTs/Ti) using a chemical vapor deposition technique and subsequent electrochemical deposition method. Pd particles were well dispersed on CNTs wall surfaces with average sizes no more than 20 nm, in most cases around 10 nm. Experiments for dechlorination of 2,4,5-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB 29) in methanol/water solution were carried out for the first time using Pd/CNTs/Ti cathode for investigation of its performance in electrocatalytic dechlorination of PCBs. Results show that Pd/CNTs/Ti presented better dechlorination efficiency (up to 90% in 6 h) than Pd/Ti and Pd/graphite cathodes owing to unique properties owned by CNTs, which benefited enhanced dechlorination of PCB 29. Complete dechlorination for PCB 29 was observed and biphenyl was identified to be final dechlorination product. The amount of Pd loading, cathode potential, and electrolytes were found to be key factors influencing dechlorination performance.
CHEN Shuo QIN ZhenLin QUAN Xie ZHANG YaoBin ZHAO HuiMin
Well-aligned carbon nanotubes coated with titania (TiO2) were prepared by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD),and the sequential experiments including carbon nano- tubes preparation,air-oxidation purification and tita- nia nanoparticles coating were performed at different temperatures in the same reactor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM),transmission electron microscope (TEM),X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD),and energy- dispersive X-ray spectra (EDX) demonstrated the well-aligned nanotubes and TiO2 nanoparticles in close proximity and the average diameter of TiO2 nanoparticles was 11.5 nm.
