Anodized stainless steel as a durable and stable catalyst for Photo-Fenton degradation of organic contaminants

Abstract

This research explored the use of homogeneous SUS 304 L stainless steel as both anode and cathode in an electrochemical cell for Photo-Fenton degradation of organic contaminant in water. In order to obtain the optimal anodization condition for methyl orange (MO) degradation with the catalysts, the voltage ranged of between 30 V and to 50 V and the anodization time ranged of from 20 min to 30 min were experimented. The anodization process was optimized at 50 V for 20 min, resulting in enhanced MO degradation. The presence of nanopores and oxide layers, mainly γ-Fe2O3 and Cr2O3, on the anodized surfaces were confirmed by various characterizations methods such as field emission electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fourier-transform (FTIR) and raman spectroscopy analyses. The anodized stainless steel electrodes demonstrated superior reusability and efficiency under acidic conditions. When compared with platinum electrodes, SUS 304 L stainless steel did not show a difference in degradation efficiency, indicating the potential for economic benefits. This research highlights the potential applications of SUS 304 L stainless steel as a catalyst for the photo-Fenton and cost-effective alternative for platinum cathode in anodization.