Investigation of novel electrode materials for electrochemically based remediation of high and low-level mixed wastes in the DOE complex. 1997 annual progress report

Abstract

This work is focused on the preparation of novel electrode materials for the degradation of toxic wastes in the DOE complex. One of the goals of this work is to characterize whether it is possible to use controlled doping of TiO 2 with species such as Nb in order to create new electrode materials that will facilitate the destruction of undesirable organics and inorganics, without light and instead only with an applied potential, in the waste tanks at the DOE sites. In the first part of this project, we have therefore spent an extensive amount of effort characterizing, as a baseline. the chemical and electrochemical behavior of TiO 2 itself, so that we can make robust comparisons to the behavior of the Nb-doped systems in subsequent work on this project. The preparation of these electrode films is being performed by Marc Anderson at Wisconsin. who is preparing a number of different stoichiometries, grain sizes, etc. for investigation of their electrochemical properties by the Lewis group at Caltech. First we report on the progress of the electrode preparation work. and then we describe progress on the electrochemical work.