CC/CoNi-LDH anode doped with Ce3+ achieving enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of ciprofloxacin

Addressing the contamination of antibiotics has attracted ever-increasing and imperative attention due to their widespread existence, easy-to-cause drug-resistant bacteria infection, coupled with their intrinsic toxicity and hazard to environments and human health. Herein, a novel CC/CoNi-LDH-10%Ce anode material was directly constructed through a simple and rapid electrodeposition strategy, serving as an efficacious electrocatalyst for removing ciprofloxacin (CIP) from aqueous solution. Such novel CC/CoNi-LDH-10%Ce anode delivered a higher charge transfer, relatively abundant oxygen vacancies, and a higher electrochemical active area. The as-fabricated CC/CoNi-LDH-10%Ce electrode achieved a substantially boosted CIP removal efficiency of 52.5% relative to that of pure CC at about 23.9%. Notably, doping an appropriate amount of Ce 3+ can endow the pristine CC/CoNi-LDH with richer oxygen vacancies and excellent electrocatalytic performance. Additionally, the electrocatalytic oxidation of CIP was attributed to both direct oxidation on the electrode surface and indirect oxidation induced by the generated active species (superoxide radicals and hydroxyl radicals). This study provides a simple, universal and flexible tactic for other researchers in designing and manufacturing avenues of electrodes.