Fabrication and photoelectrocatalytic performance of C3N4-modified Ti/PbO2 anode with surface hydrophobicity.

Reasonable hydrophobic anode is deemed to be a promising electrode for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of wastewater. In this study, the C3N4-modified Ti/PbO2 electrode with tunable hydrophobic characteristics is fabricated by a facile electrodeposition process. It is found that the introduction of C3N4 into the PbO2 films changed the morphology, surface hydrophilicity, and hydrophobicity of the electrode, which promotes the photoelectrochemical active areas, generating efficiency of hydroxyl radicals. In addition, introducing C3N4 into PbO2 coating can enhance oxygen evolution potential and carrier density of PbO2. Photoelectrocatalytic degradation experiments show that the addition of C3N4 can further improve the catalytic performance of PbO2 and there exists a significant photoelectric synergism in photoelectrocatalytic process. These results demonstrate that the combination of reasonable surface hydrophobic characteristics and photoelectrocatalytic is a prospective approach for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]