Prof. Ching-Lung Chen
Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Ming Chi University of TechnologySpeech Title: Electrochemical Degradation and Sensing of Aqueous Pollutants Using Copper-Based Electrodes
Abstract: In this study, copper-based electrodes were fabricated and successfully applied for the electrochemical sensing of the herbicide Diuron. The sensor exhibited a fast response, remarkable stability, and an exceptionally low detection limit, confirming the strong catalytic and analytical capability of the Cu material toward environmental monitoring. To further enhance pollutant remediation, bimetallic palladium–copper (Pd/Cu) electrodes were prepared by varying the palladium deposition duration between one and three minutes. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization revealed that palladium nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed across the copper substrate, forming a stable Pd/Cu composite structure. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses confirmed the coexistence of metallic Pd and oxidized Cu phases, signifying successful alloy formation and favorable surface properties for catalysis. Electrochemical evaluation demonstrated that the Pd/Cu electrode markedly outperformed the pure copper electrode in nitrate reduction. A pronounced reduction peak indicated efficient nitrate conversion, with nearly complete removal and high selectivity toward nitrogen gas at constant current density. Collectively, the results reveal that copper-based and Pd/Cu electrodes offer a dual-function platform capable of rapid Diuron sensing and highly selective nitrate reduction, representing a promising and sustainable approach for advancing water purification technologies and safeguarding aquatic ecosystems.