High-performance transition metal oxide electrodes for water treatment

Advanced electrochemical oxidation processes often generate radicals and/or oxidants with short lifetimes and high oxidation potentials to destroy organic pollutants in wastewater, and generation depends on the pH, supporting electrolyte, counter-electrode, and other experimental conditions. This study aimed to use electrodes comprising different transition metal oxides to generate oxidants for wastewater treatment, including those with mesoporotic, nanoparticulate, and nanotubular shapes to increase the coverage homogeneities of the transition metal oxides, reduce the cost and reuse the electrodes, achieve good reproducibility, and achieve the highest electrical conductivity and electroactive surface area to increase the lifetime of each modified surface for removal of organic pollutants via simple, green, and efficient methods. [Display omitted] •Radicals and/or oxidants with short lifetimes and high oxidizing powers destroy organic pollutants in wastewater.•Homogeneity and coverage of the electrocatalysts with thin films are necessary for modified electrodes.•The highest electrical conductivity and electroactive area could increase the lifetime of the modified surface.•Surfaces modified with transition metal oxides eliminate organic pollutants in wastewater.•Mesoporotic, nanoparticulate, and nanotubular transition metal oxides increase the superficial electroactive area.