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Electrode Modification and Optimization in Air-Cathode Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells

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  • Yanhua Wang

    (School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
    Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China)

  • Jiayan Wu

    (School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Shengke Yang

    (Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China)

  • Huihui Li

    (Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China)

  • Xiaoping Li

    (School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

Abstract

Due to the known problems of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), such as low electricity generation performance and high cost of operation, we modified the electrode with graphene and polyaniline (PANI) is a single-chamber air-cathode MFC and then evaluated the effects of electrode modification on MFC electricity generation performance. Carbon cloth electrodes (unmodified, CC; graphene-modified, G/CC; and polyaniline-graphene-modified, PANI-G/CC) were prepared using the impregnation method. Sulfonated cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPcS) was then introduced as a cathode catalyst. The Co-PANI-G/CC cathode showed higher catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction compared with other electrodes. The maximum power density of the MFC with Co-PANI-G/CC cathode was 32.2 mW/m 2 , which was 1.8 and 6.1 times higher than the value obtained with Co-G/CC and Co/CC cathodes, respectively. This indicates a significant improvement in the electricity generation of single-chamber MFCs and provides a simple, effective cathode modification method. Furthermore, we constructed single-chamber MFCs using the modified anode and cathode and analyzed electricity generation and oxytetracycline (OTC) degradation with different concentrations of OTC as the fuel. With increasing added OTC concentration, the MFC performance in both electricity generation and OTC degradation gradually decreased. However, when less than 50 mg/L OTC was added, the 5-day degradation rate of OTC reached more than 90%. It is thus feasible to process OTC-containing wastewater and produce electricity using single-chamber MFCs, which provides a new concept for wastewater treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanhua Wang & Jiayan Wu & Shengke Yang & Huihui Li & Xiaoping Li, 2018. "Electrode Modification and Optimization in Air-Cathode Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:7:p:1349-:d:154810
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rajesh Bashyam & Piotr Zelenay, 2006. "A class of non-precious metal composite catalysts for fuel cells," Nature, Nature, vol. 443(7107), pages 63-66, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Van Limbergen, T. & Bonné, R. & Hustings, J. & Valcke, R. & Thijs, S. & Vangronsveld, J. & Manca, J.V., 2022. "Plant microbial fuel cells from the perspective of photovoltaics: Efficiency, power, and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).

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