Air Breathing Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cell using Mn-, Fe-, Co- and Ni-containing Platinum Group Metal-free Catalysts

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Electrochimica Acta

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2017.02.033· OSTI ID:1377987

Kodali, Mounika; Santoro, Carlo; Serov, Alexey; Kabir, Sadia; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Matanovic, Ivana; Atanassov, Plamen

Here we discuss the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is one of the major factors that is limiting the overall performance output of microbial fuel cells (MFC). In this study, Platinum Group Metal-free (PGM-free) ORR catalysts based on Fe, Co, Ni, Mn and the same precursor (Aminoantipyrine, AAPyr) were synthesized using identical sacrificial support method (SSM). The catalysts were investigated for their electrochemical performance, and then integrated into an air-breathing cathode to be tested in “clean” environment and in a working microbial fuel cell (MFC). Their performances were also compared to activated carbon (AC) based cathode under similar conditions. Results showed that the addition of Mn, Fe, Co and Ni to AAPyr increased the performances compared to AC. Fe-AAPyr showed the highest open circuit potential (OCP) that was 0.307 ± 0.001 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and the highest electrocatalytic activity at pH 7.5. On the contrary, AC had an OCP of 0.203 ± 0.002 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and had the lowest electrochemical activity. In MFC, Fe-AAPyr also had the highest output of 251 ± 2.3 μWcm^–2, followed by Co-AAPyr with 196 ± 1.5 μWcm^–2, Ni-AAPyr with 171 ± 3.6 μWcm^–2, Mn-AAPyr with 160 ± 2.8 μWcm^–2 and AC 129 ± 4.2 μWcm^–2. The best performing catalyst (Fe-AAPyr) was then tested in MFC with increasing solution conductivity from 12.4 mScm^–1 to 63.1 mScm^–1. A maximum power density of 482 ± 5 μWcm^–2 was obtained with increasing solution conductivity, which is one of the highest values reported in the field.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1377987
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1346840
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-16-26818; S0013468617302943; PII: S0013468617302943
• Journal Information: Electrochimica Acta, Journal Name: Electrochimica Acta Vol. 231 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 0013-4686
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
Material Science