A dimensionally stable anode based on the RuO2 electrocatalyst is an important electrode for generating chlorine. The RuO2 is well-known as an electrode material with high electrocatalytic performance and stability. In this study, sonoelectrodeposition is proposed to synthesize the RuO2 electrodes. The electrode obtained by this novel process shows better electrocatalytic properties and stability for generating chlorine compared to the conventional one. The high roughness and outer surface area of the RuO2 electrode from a new fabrication process leads to increase in the chlorine generation rate. This enhanced performance is attributed to the accelerated mass transport rate of the chloride ions from electrolyte to electrode surface. In addition, the electrode with sonodeposition method showed higher stability than the conventional one, which might be explained by the mass coverage enhancement. The effect of sonodeposition time was also investigated, and the electrode with longer deposition time showed higher electrocatalytic performance and stability.

RuO2 is a common active component of Dimensionally Stable Anodes (DSAs) for chlorine evolution that can be used in wastewater treatment systems. The recent improvement of chlorine evolution using nanostructures of RuO2 electrodes to increase the treatment efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of this process has received much attention. In this study, RuO2 nanorod and nanosheet electrodes were simply fabricated using the sol-gel method with organic surfactants as the templates. The obtained RuO2 nanorod and nanosheet electrodes exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activities for chlorine evolution possibly due to the active surface areas, especially the outer active surface areas, which are attributed to the increase in mass transfers compared with a conventional nanograin electrode. The electrocatalytic activities for chlorine evolution were increased up to 20 % in the case of the nanorod electrode and 35% in the case of the nanosheet electrode compared with the nanograin electrode. The RuO2 nanorod 80 nm in length and 20-30 nm in width and the RuO2 nanosheet 40-60 nm in length and 40 nm in width are formed on the surface of Ti substrates. These results support that the templated RuO2 nanorod and nanosheet electrodes are promising anode materials for chlorine evolution in future applications.

Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) process is one of membrane processes for harvesting renewable energy by using salinity difference between feed and draw solutions. Power is generated by permeation flux multiplied by hydraulic pressure in draw side. Membrane fouling phenomena in PRO process is presumed to be less sever, but it is inevitable. Membrane fouling in PRO process decreases water permeation through membrane, resulting in significant power production decline. This study intended to investigate the effect of hydraulic pressure in PRO process on alginate induced organic fouling as high and low hydraulic pressures (6.5 bar and 12 bar) were applied for 24 h under the same initial water flux. In addition, organic fouling in draw side from the presence of foulant (sodium alginate) in draw solution was examined. As major results, hydraulic pressure was found to be not a significant factor affecting in PRO organic fouling as long as the same initial water flux is maintained, inidicating that operating PRO process with high hydraulic pressure for efficient energy harvesting will not cause severe organic fouling. In addition, flux decline was negligible from the presence of organic foulant in draw side.