LAUSR

Abstract In this paper, g-C 3 N 4 /BiVO 4 composite was electrospinned onto FTO substrate and used as photoanode for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of diclofenac sodium. The photoelectrocatalytic degradation efficiency of DCF by the g-C 3 N 4 /BiVO 4 photoanode is much higher than that by the individual g-C 3 N 4 and BiVO 4 photoanodes. The first order kinetic constants are estimated to be 3.2 × 10 −3  min −1 for g-C 3 N 4 /BiVO 4 photoanode, while the kinetic constants are 1 × 10 −4  min −1 and 1.1 × 10 −3  min −1 for g-C 3 N 4 and BiVO 4 photoanode. To further increase the degradation of DCF in PEC process, H 2 O 2 was added into the system, and the results indicated that DCF degradation was largely increased. The kinetic rate constant was 5.6 × 10 −3  min −1 for H 2 O 2 assisted PEC process and it was estimated to be 3.2 × 10 −3  min −1 and 1 × 10 −5  min −1 for the individual PEC process and H 2 O 2 oxidation process, respectively. Effect of initial pH, H 2 O 2 dosage and applied bias on DCF degradation was investigated in detail. The highest DCF degradation efficiency was achieved at initial pH of 3.17 and applied bias potential of 1.0 V (vs. SCE) with 10 mM H 2 O 2 addition. Involved reactive active species were studied using electron spin resonance; a proposed reaction pathway was proposed.