Manganese–polypyrrole–carbon nanotube, a new oxygen reduction catalyst for air-cathode microbial fuel cells

Polyelectrolyte–single wall carbon nanotube (SCNT) composites are prepared by a solution-based method and used as metal-free cathode catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this study, two types of polyelectrolytes, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDA) and poly[bis(2-chloroethyl)ether-alt-1,3-bis[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]urea] (PEPU) are applied to decorate the SCNTs and the resulting catalysts exhibit remarkable catalytic ability toward ORR in MFC applications. The enhanced catalytic ability could be attributed to the positively charged quaternary ammonium sites of polyelectrolytes, which increase the oxygen affinity of SCNTs and reduce activation energy in the oxygen reduction process. It is also found that PEPU–SCNT composite-based MFCs show efficient performance with maximum power density of 270.1 mW m−2, comparable to MFCs with the benchmark Pt/C catalyst (375.3 mW m−2), while PDDA–SCNT composite-based MFCs produce 188.9 mW m−2. These results indicate that PEPU–SCNT and PDDA–SCNT catalysts are promising candidates as metal-free cathode catalysts for ORR in MFCs and could facilitate MFC scaling up and commercialization.

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Fe and N co-doped carbon derived from melamine resin capsuled biomass as efficient oxygen reduction catalyst for air-cathode microbial fuel cells

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy ◽

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.11.201 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 3163-3175 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Dongliang Wang ◽

Jingping Hu ◽

Jiakuan Yang ◽

Keke Xiao ◽

Sha Liang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Oxygen Reduction ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Melamine Resin ◽

Air Cathode ◽

Oxygen Reduction Catalyst ◽

Co Doped

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Cobalt‑nitrogen‑carbon nanotube co-implanted activated carbon as efficient cathodic oxygen reduction catalyst in microbial fuel cells

Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry ◽

10.1016/j.jelechem.2020.114498 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 876 ◽

pp. 114498

Author(s):

Weifeng Liu ◽

Libiao Zheng ◽

Shaoan Cheng ◽

Yimin Zhu ◽

Juncai Sun

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Activated Carbon ◽

Carbon Nanotube ◽

Oxygen Reduction ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Oxygen Reduction Catalyst

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Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon modified activated carbon as an efficient oxygen reduction catalyst for microbial fuel cells

RSC Advances ◽

10.1039/c7ra12907f ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 848-855 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Kang Lv ◽

Hua Zhang ◽

Shuiliang Chen

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Activated Carbon ◽

Oxygen Reduction ◽

Electrocatalytic Activity ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Air Cathode ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Modified Activated Carbon ◽

Oxygen Reduction Catalyst ◽

Co Doped

Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon modified activated carbon shows decreased ORR over-potential, thus enhanced ORR electrocatalytic activity in the air-cathode of microbial fuel cells compared to pristine AC.

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