Strong influence of the heating method on Ti/RuO2-TiO2 anode electrochemical and photoassisted electrochemical performance

The use of mixed metal oxide anodes in wastewater electrochemical treatment depends on the production of efficient, stable, and economically viable anodes. Thus, Ti/RuO2-TiO2 anodes were prepared by unconventional heating methods using a CO2 laser and microwave irradiation. The calcination method significantly modified the surface morphology, electronic structure, and electrocatalytic properties of the anodes. Compared with the conventionally-prepared anode, anodes made using laser and microwave display increase by approximately 2 and 3 times the voltammetric charge and decrease by 2.8 and 5.4 times the charge transfer resistance. Moreover, laser and microwave-prepared anodes presented a lifetime of 4.4 and 2.3 times longer than the furnace-prepared anode. High efficiency in generating hypochlorite is achieved in 1 h using a laser-prepared anode (372 mg L−1), which improves the degradation and mineralization of ciprofloxacin by electrolysis. After UVC-irradiation, the anode with the lowest energy consumption (7.14 kWh g–1TOC) was prepared by microwave radiation. [Display omitted] •Microwave heating improved the electroactive area and conductivity of MMO anodes.•Laser heating reduced preparation time by 438-fold and increased anode life by 4.45-fold.•83% of TOC are removed in just 2 h of PhEC treatment using a microwave-prepared anode.•Unexpectedly, PhEC using the laser-prepared anode did not favor the pollutant removal.