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Insight into electrochemical degradation of Cartap (in Padan 95SP) by boron-doped diamond electrode - kinetic and effect of water matrices

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2022-01-01
JournalTURKISH JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
AuthorsHOANG NGUYEN
InstitutionsUniversity of Da Nang, Da Nang University of Technology
Citations2
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Technical Documentation: Electrochemical Degradation of Cartap using Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Electrodes

Section titled “Technical Documentation: Electrochemical Degradation of Cartap using Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) Electrodes”

This document analyzes the research paper “Insight into electrochemical degradation of Cartap
 by boron-doped diamond electrode” (Nguyen, 2022) to highlight the critical role of high-quality MPCVD Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) in Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) and wastewater treatment.


  • Application Focus: Electrochemical degradation of the pesticide Cartap (Padan 95SP) using a BDD anode in an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP).
  • Core Mechanism: Degradation occurs via both direct oxidation (15% contribution) and indirect oxidation (85% contribution) driven by highly reactive radicals.
  • Dominant Oxidants: Hydroxyl radicals (‱OH) were the primary oxidant (61.5% contribution), followed by sulfate radicals (SO₄‹⁻) (12.8% contribution).
  • Material Performance: The BDD electrode demonstrated excellent electrochemical capability, characterized by high stability, corrosion resistance, and a charge transfer resistance of 92.6 Ω.
  • Kinetic Enhancement: The presence of 15 mM chloride (Cl⁻) significantly enhanced the degradation rate constant (kCT) by 38% (from 0.039 min⁻Âč to 0.054 min⁻Âč).
  • Scalability Potential: The successful use of BDD in this high-efficiency AOP confirms its suitability for industrial-scale water purification systems targeting refractory organic pollutants.

The following hard data points were extracted from the BDD electrode characterization and kinetic experiments:

ParameterValueUnitContext
BDD Exposed Surface Area3.8cm2Working electrode dimension
Diamond Layer Thickness2.5-3”mCVD film thickness
BDD Substrate MaterialSi-Silicon substrate
BDD Grain Size (Medium)200nmDetermined by SEM
Boron Doping Concentration (EDX)15.1%High doping level for conductivity
Charge Transfer Resistance (RCT)92.6ΩMeasured via EIS
Applied Current Density (j)40mA cm-2Optimal galvanostatic control
Baseline Rate Constant (kCT)0.039min-1At 40 mA cm-2, 0 mM additives
Enhanced Rate Constant (kCT)0.054min-1With 15 mM Cl⁻ addition (38% increase)
‱OH Radical Contribution61.5%Relative contribution to CT degradation
SO₄‹⁻ Radical Contribution12.8%Relative contribution to CT degradation
Direct Electron Transfer (DET)15%Relative contribution to CT degradation
Steady-State [‱OH] Concentration3.2 x 10-13MEstimated concentration
Steady-State [SO₄‹⁻] Concentration5.8 x 10-14MEstimated concentration

The electrochemical degradation was performed under galvanostatic control in an undivided cell at ambient temperature.

  1. Electrode Setup: A BDD wafer (3.8 cm2 exposed area, 2.5-3 ”m thick film on Si) was used as the working anode. A Platinum foil (2 cm2) served as the counter electrode, and an Ag/AgCl (saturated KCl) electrode was the reference.
  2. Electrolyte Composition: 250 mL of electrolyte solution containing 40 ”M Cartap (CT) was used, supported by 0.05 M Na₂SO₄.
  3. Operating Conditions: The solution pH was maintained at 3 (controlled by 1 M H₂SO₄ or 1 M NaOH). The temperature was ambient (22 °C).
  4. Current Application: Experiments were conducted under galvanostatic control with current densities ranging from 10 to 40 mA cm-2.
  5. Kinetic Analysis: The degradation kinetics were determined by measuring the remaining CT concentration using the DTNB procedure and UV-Vis spectrophotometry (412 nm).
  6. Radical Scavenging: Tert-butanol (TBA) and methanol (MeOH) were used as radical scavengers to quantify the relative contributions of ‱OH and SO₄‹⁻ radicals.

This research demonstrates the superior performance of Boron-Doped Diamond (BDD) electrodes for generating highly oxidative species essential for environmental remediation. 6CCVD is uniquely positioned to supply the high-specification BDD materials required to replicate, scale, and advance this research.

To achieve the high conductivity and stability required for efficient electrochemical AOPs, the following 6CCVD material is recommended:

  • Heavy Boron-Doped PCD (Polycrystalline Diamond): The paper’s EDX analysis showed an exceptionally high boron concentration (15.1% B), indicating a need for heavy doping to minimize charge transfer resistance (RCT = 92.6 Ω). 6CCVD specializes in producing highly conductive BDD films, ideal for high-current-density applications like this electrochemical reactor.
  • PCD Thickness and Substrate: The paper utilized a thin film (2.5-3 ”m) on a Si substrate. 6CCVD offers PCD films ranging from 0.1 ”m up to 500 ”m, allowing researchers to optimize film thickness for longevity and cost efficiency on standard Si or other custom substrates.

The experimental setup utilized specific electrode dimensions and materials (BDD anode, Pt cathode, Ag/AgCl reference). 6CCVD offers comprehensive customization services to meet precise engineering requirements:

Research Requirement6CCVD Customization CapabilityValue Proposition
Electrode DimensionsPlates/wafers up to 125 mm (PCD/BDD).Scale-up from the 3.8 cm2 lab-scale electrode to pilot or industrial reactor sizes.
Film ThicknessSCD/PCD films from 0.1 ”m to 500 ”m.Precise control over BDD layer thickness for optimized conductivity and material cost management.
MetalizationCustom internal metalization (Au, Pt, Pd, Ti, W, Cu).We can deposit custom contact layers (e.g., Ti/Pt/Au) or provide pre-metalized electrodes for simplified integration into electrochemical cells.
Surface FinishPolishing services available (Ra < 5 nm for inch-size PCD).While this application is kinetic, 6CCVD can provide ultra-smooth surfaces for applications requiring low friction or high optical quality.

The successful degradation of Cartap relies heavily on the precise generation of ‱OH and SO₄‹⁻ radicals, which is highly sensitive to BDD quality and doping level.

  • AOP Optimization: 6CCVD’s in-house PhD team can assist researchers and engineers in selecting the optimal BDD material specifications (doping concentration, thickness, and surface morphology) for similar Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) targeting refractory organic pollutants.
  • Global Supply Chain: We offer reliable global shipping (DDU default, DDP available) to ensure timely delivery of custom diamond materials worldwide, supporting continuous research and development efforts.

For custom specifications or material consultation, visit 6ccvd.com or contact our engineering team directly.

View Original Abstract

In this work, the kinetic electrochemical degradation of Cartap (CT) (in Padan 95 SP) at boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was investigated. This study indicated that the degradation of CT underwent both direct and indirect oxidations. Water matrices can either accelerate or inhibit the removal efficiency of CT: adding 15 mM Cl<sup>-</sup> improved <i>k</i><i><sub>CT</sub></i> from 0.039 min<sup>-1</sup> to 0.054 min<sup>-1</sup> (increased by 38%), while <i>k</i><i><sub>CT</sub></i> decreased by 61.5% and 64% when increasing the concentration of HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> and humic acid (HA) to 15 mM and 15 mg L<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. CT degradation was inhibited in the presence of methanol (MeOH) and <i>tert</i>-butanol (TBA) due to the scavenging effect of those chemicals toward reactive species. The contribution of reactive oxidants was calculated as: DET (direct electron transfer) accounted for 15%; ‱OH accounted for 61.5%; SO<sub>4</sub><sup>‱-</sup> accounted for 12.8%; ROS (the other reactive oxygen species) accounted for 8.5%. The transformation pathways of major reactive species were established.