Fe(II)-based GDE electrodes for the demineralization of methylene blue dye

This paper describes the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye using [Fe(II)]-based gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs). GDEs were developed by rolling carbon black and polytetrafluoroethylene as a conductive layer for efficient oxygen reduction reaction, with an [Fe(II)] ink layer (5mgcm-2 loading) to conduct Fenton chemistry. The GDEs demonstrated the ability to remove the colour and mineralize MB dye in an undivided, three-electrode cell. Colour removal achieved 99% in a 150cm3 solution containing 100 ppm of MB dye at constant potential of - 1.0 V vs. Hg/HgSO 4 in 240 min. The kinetics of the MB decolouration showed pseudo-first-order batch kinetics. The results demonstrated that a GDE containing immobilized Fe(II) ions appears to be a viable option for the environmental remediation of organic dyes in wastewater by an anodic Fenton oxidation.