Effect of a Synthesized Pulsed Electrodeposited Ti/PbO2–RuO2 Nanocomposite on Zinc Electrowinning

Nowadays, there is a growing interest in synthesizing electrodes used in zinc electrowinning, increasing active surface area, decreasing specific energy consumption, and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotential. In this study, modified nanocomposite anodes were synthesized by applying pulsed and constant direct current electrodeposition to improve the catalytic activity of the electrodes toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and reduce energy consumption in zinc electrowinning. By decreasing particle size, the active surface area of PbO 2 –RuO 2 nano-mixed composite electrode was 2.88 and 14.22 times greater than PbO 2 –RuO 2 microcomposite and pure PbO 2 electrodes, respectively. Also, the anodic polarization of PbO 2 –RuO 2 microcomposite showed a 0.201 V decrease at 0.01 A cm –2 in the OER overpotential as compared to pure micro PbO 2 . Among the synthesized anodes, the Ti/PbO 2 –RuO 2 nano-mixed morphology composite anode possessed the lowest overpotential and the least specific energy consumption by 0.705 V at a current density of 0.14 A cm –2 and 2.11 kWh kg –1, respectively.