Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Three-dimensional electrode reactors with carbon-based particle electrodes offer high catalytic efficiency and low energy consumption for wastewater treatment. • Carbon-based materials are preferred due to their large specific surface area, good adsorption, high chemical stability, and low cost. • The review summarizes recent research on degrading organic pollutants using carbon-based particle electrodes. • Challenges for future development include material optimization and scale-up for practical applications.
Abstract
The use of three-dimensional (3D) electrodes in water treatment is competitive because of their high catalytic efficiency, low energy consumption and promising development. The use of particle electrodes is a key research focus in this technology. They are usually in the form of particles that fill the space between the cathode and anode, and the selection of materials used is important. Carbon-based materials are widely used because of their large specific surface area, good adsorption performance, high chemical stability and low cost. The principles of 3D electrode technology are introduced and recent research on its use for degrading organic pollutants using carbon-based particle electrodes is summarized. The classification of particle electrodes is introduced and the challenges for the future development of carbon-based particle electrodes in wastewater treatment are discussed.
1. Introduction
In spite of ever-increasing environmental awareness and ever-stringent environmental regulations in China, the rapid industrialization has to address the challenges from a large amount of industrial waste discharge to the environment. With the increasingly polluted water body and the fast-growing demands for freshwater resources, water scarcity has become serious in many areas. To solve the problem of water scarcity, the realization of the clean reuse of wastewater is the most important priority[1]. In recent years, the composition of industrial wastewater is becoming more and more complex, and the pollutant concentration is getting higher and higher, resulting in such a situation that some traditional physical, chemical and biochemical degradation methods are not ideal in achieving cost-effective, efficient, and sufficient degradation of pollutants, thus failing to achieve satisfactory treatment results. Fortunately, with the continuous progress of environmental science and technology, many new water treatment technologies have been developed, such as membrane separation, adsorption and advanced oxidation process[2].
Compared with other wastewater treatment methods, electrocatalytic oxidation is expected to become the technology of choice for treating difficult-to-biodegrade, toxic, hazardous, and highly concentrated organic wastewater because of its strong oxidizing capacity, simple operation, mild treatment conditions, and easy automation[3]. There are two main ways to degrade pollutants electrochemically: direct oxidation and indirect oxidation. The direct oxidation is a process in which pollutants are directly degraded on the surface of anode through electron gain/loss reactions. While during the indirect oxidation, pollutants are continuously mineralized to CO2 and H2O by radicals and non-radicals generated by electrochemical reactions. The electrocatalytic oxidation can be conducted in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) electrode systems (Fig. 1). A 2D electrode system consists of anode and cathode plates placed parallel to each other[4]. The processes in 2D electrode systems can be divided into electroflocculation, electrocatalytic oxidation, electro-absorption, and electrodeposition according to electrode reactions[5]. Electrocatalytic oxidation reaction mainly occurs on the anode, so the research of electrode materials has been focused on anode. Titanium-based metal oxide anodes and boron-doped diamond thin-layer electrodes feature high electrocatalytic activity, high oxygen evolution potential, and good stability, and are the most widely researched anode materials. However, there are some problems such as short lifetime and high preparation cost.
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LU Hua-yu, LIU Wei-feng, QIN Lei, LIU Xu-guang (2025). The use of carbon-based particle electrodes in three-dimensional electrode reactors for wastewater treatment. SinoTechIntel Verified Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-5805(NCM2024-39-05-11)
Research & Educational Purpose Only:The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoTechIntel are intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are three-dimensional electrode reactors?
Three-dimensional (3D) electrode reactors are an advanced electrochemical water treatment technology that uses particle electrodes packed between the anode and cathode to enhance the degradation of pollutants. They offer high catalytic efficiency and low energy consumption compared to traditional two-dimensional electrode systems.
Why are carbon-based materials used as particle electrodes?
Carbon-based materials are widely used as particle electrodes due to their large specific surface area, good adsorption performance, high chemical stability, and low cost. These properties make them effective for adsorbing pollutants and facilitating electrochemical reactions.
What are the main advantages of 3D electrode technology over 2D systems?
3D electrode technology provides a larger surface area for reactions, higher mass transfer rates, and improved current efficiency, leading to more effective degradation of organic pollutants with lower energy consumption compared to 2D systems.
What are the challenges for future development of carbon-based particle electrodes?
Challenges include improving the stability and reusability of particle electrodes, optimizing their preparation for large-scale application, and addressing issues related to electrode fouling and regeneration. Further research is needed to enhance their catalytic activity and selectivity.
How does electrocatalytic oxidation degrade pollutants?
Electrocatalytic oxidation degrades pollutants through direct oxidation on the anode surface or indirect oxidation via generated radicals (e.g., hydroxyl radicals) that mineralize organic pollutants into CO2 and H2O. This method is effective for treating toxic and non-biodegradable wastewater.
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