Graphite felt (GF) was modified by the hydrothermal treatment with aqueous ammonia to improve the efficiency of electro-Fenton (EF) process. The surface morphology, structure, and electrochemical properties of the GFs before and after modification were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, Raman spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry accordingly. The relationship between the GF structure and the EF performance was discussed. Nitrogen atoms were found doped into the carbon framework mainly in the form of pyrrolic N and leading to more defects on the edge plane, which in turn enhanced the oxygen reduction reaction activity of GF. The GF hydrothermally treated at 180°C for 8 h showed the highest H2O2 accumulation rate (14.25 mg/[L·cm2·h]), which is about 13.4 times higher than that of raw GF (1.06 mg/[L·cm2·h]). Simulated salty organic wastewater with typical organic pollutants, including phenol, p-nitrophenol, tetracycline hydrochloride, and Rhodamine B, have been tested in an EF system using the modified GF as cathode. Almost 100% degradation of these pollutants with an initial concentration of 100 mg/L has been achieved within 2 h.
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