Photoelectrocatalytic Surfactant Pollutant Degradation and Simultaneous Green Hydrogen Generation

Journal article, 2023

For the first time, we demonstrate a photoelectrocatalysistechniquefor simultaneous surfactant pollutant degradation and green hydrogengeneration using mesoporous WO3/BiVO4 photoanodeunder simulated sunlight irradiation. The materials properties suchas morphology, crystallite structure, chemical environment, opticalabsorbance, and bandgap energy of the WO3/BiVO4 films are examined and discussed. We have tested the anionic type(sodium 2-naphthalenesulfonate (S2NS)) and cationic type surfactants(benzyl alkyl dimethylammonium compounds (BAC-C12)) as model pollutants.A complete removal of S2NS and BAC-C12 surfactants at 60 and 90 min,respectively, by applying 1.75 V applied potential vs RHE to the circuit,under 1 sun was achieved. An interesting competitive phenomenon forphotohole utilization was observed between surfactants and adsorbedwater. This led to the formation of H2O2 fromwater alongside surfactant degradation (anode) and hydrogen evolution(cathode). No byproducts were observed after the direct photoholemediated degradation of surfactants, implying its advantage over otherAOPs and biological processes. In the cathode compartment, 82.51 mu mol/cm(2) and 71.81 mu mol/cm(2) of hydrogen gas weregenerated during the BAC-C12 and S2NS surfactant degradation process,respectively, at 1.75 V RHE applied potential.