Autopsy of carbon-PTFE cathodes was performed by addressing their degradation in a commercial plate-and-frame cell equipped with a Nb-BDD anode. Cell is arranged within an electrochemical pilot plant designed for treating wastewaters by electrochemical Fenton-like processes, thus an efficient electrocatalytic production of H₂O₂ is necessary to guarantee Fenton’s reaction. Significant decrease in H₂O₂ electrogeneration occurred during pilot plant operation, hindering the efficient performance of Fenton-like processes. Two cathodes were studied, first was operated at pH 3 and second at neutral pH by using EDDS as complexing agent to maintain iron in solution. Electrogenerated H₂O₂ decreased from 43 mg L⁻¹ to 16 mg L⁻¹ in the first cathode after 50 h of operation and from 49 mg L⁻¹ to 24 mg L⁻¹ in the second one after 26 h of operation. Both were cleaned with 30% (v/v) solution of HCl/water for 24 h and H₂O₂ production was recovered only in the second cathode (able to generate 39 mg L⁻¹). Autopsy of the cathodes was tackled by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive (EDX), evidencing a strong degradation of first cathode surface and iron oxide inlays in second one due to the decomposition of Fe³⁺:EDDS and consequent iron precipitation at neutral pH.

通过解决在配备Nb-BDD阳极的商用板框式电池中降解碳-PTFE阴极的问题，进行了尸检。电解池布置在设计用于通过类似于Fenton电化学过程的废水处理的电化学中试装置内，因此必须有高效的H ₂ O ₂的电催化生产来保证Fenton的反应。在试点工厂运行期间，H ₂ O _2的发电量显着下降，这阻碍了Fenton样工艺的高效运行。研究了两个阴极，第一个在pH值为3的条件下运行，第二个通过使用EDDS作为络合剂在铁中保持溶液的pH为中性。电生成的H ₂ O ₂在运行50小时后，第一个阴极从43 mg L ^-1降至16 mg L ^-1；在运行26 h后，第二个阴极从49 mg L ^-1降至24 mg L ^-1。两者都用30％（v / v）的HCl /水溶液清洗24小时，并且仅在第二个阴极中回收了H ₂ O ₂产生（能够产生39 mg L ^-1）。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和X射线能量色散（EDX）解决了阴极的尸体解剖，证明了由于Fe ³⁺：EDDS的分解以及随后的分解，导致了第一阴极表面的强烈降解以及第二表面的氧化铁嵌体的强烈降解。铁在中性pH下沉淀。