The effect of halides, pseudohalides, and some organic substances on the initial rate of peroxodisulphate formation
The effects of various additions of halides, pseudohalides and selected organic substances on the overall anodic polarization curves and the polarization curves of oxygen evolution and peroxodisulphate formation were examined under conditions of low degree of sulphate-to-peroxodisulphate conversion. Of the tested substances, SCN- and CN- ions, thiourea, urea and acetonitrile have proved to cause the greatest increase in the current yields of peroxodisulphate. However, the current yield varies as a function of the concentration of additive and the total current density, and goes through a maximum in both cases. The observed phenomena are discussed in terms of potential-dependent adsorption of additives or their oxidation products or intermediates on the oxidized surface of platinum anode.