An energy-effective polyaniline coated graphite felt （PANI@GF） composite cathode for the elec- tro-Fenton （E-Fenton） process was synthesized through an electro-polymerization method. The electrocatalytic activity of the cathode for the 2e- ORR process was investigated and dimethyl phthalate （DMP） was used as a model substrate to evaluate its performance in the E-Fenton process. The as-prepared PANI@GF composite possessed a three-dimensional porous structure, which is favorable for 02 diffusion, while the large amount of N atoms in the conductive polyaniline （PANI） enhanced 2e- ORR reactivity. The DMP degradation of the E-Fenton system using PANI@GF was significantly enhanced owing to the improvement in ORR performance. The apparent kinetic con- stant for DMP degradation was 0.0753 min-1, five times larger than that of GF. The optimal carboni- zation temperature and polymerization time for the preparation of the PANI@GF composite cath- ode was found to be 900 ℃ and 1 h, respectively. Measurement conditions are a crucial factor for proper evaluation of cathode electrocatalytic performance. Accordingly, the 02 flow rate, Fe^2＋ con- centration, and pH for DMP degradation were optimized at 0.4 L/min, 1.0 mmol/L, and 3.0, respec- tively. These results indicate that the present PANI@GF composite cathode is energy-effective and promising for potential use as an E-Fenton system cathode for the removal of organic pollutants in wastewater.
