Carbon Supported Cu-Sn Bimetallic Alloy as an Excellent Low-Cost Cathode Catalyst for Enhancing Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Microbial Fuel Cell

Abstract

Cu-Sn bimetallic alloy supported on acetylene black was prepared and tested under different loadings per unit cathode surface area viz. 1 mg.cm −2 , 2 mg.cm −2 and 5 mg.cm −2 as a catalyst to improve the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and to enhance performance of the microbial fuel cell (MFC). Electrochemical analyses were performed to evaluate the ORR kinetics. Results of cyclic voltammetry showed multiple redox current peaks for all the loadings of Cu-Sn with positive onset potential of ∼0.25 V. Among different loadings, cathode with Cu-Sn loading of 2 mg.cm −2 proved to be the best choice for application in MFC, due to less charge transfer resistance and high redox current. Power density and coulombic efficiency of 470 mW.m −2 and 36%, respectively, were obtained from MFC using Cu-Sn catalyzed cathode with a loading of 2 mg.cm −2 , which was higher than the MFCs using cathodes with 1 and 5 mg.cm −2 of Cu-Sn loadings and it was even found slightly higher than the MFC using Pt-C catalyst on cathode. Power generation per unit cost of catalyst for MFC using Cu-Sn catalyst was found to be 11-fold higher than the MFC using Pt-C cathode, ascertaining former as low-cost cathode catalyst for harvesting more power from MFCs.

Marketability Prospects of Microbial Fuel Cells for Sustainable Energy Generation

“…In 2019, Xinghong et al used N-doped carbon derived from sustainable and economical biomass as an effective metal-free catalyst for ORR in the MFC with high current production efficiency. In addition, sodium cobalt oxide, Fe–Mn bimetallic alloy, α-MnO 2 /C, Cu–Sn bimetallic alloy, and zeolitic imidazolate 8 are promising alternatives to Pt. Other possible alternatives to Pt ,− can be seen in Table .…”

Highly Porous FexMnOy Microsphere as an Efficient Cathode Catalyst for Microbial Electrosynthesis of Volatile Fatty Acids from CO2

“…Crystallite size and the crystallinity index (CI) of the materials was further calculated using following Equations (1) and (2), respectively. [27]…”

Synthesis and Application of Zirconium Metal–Organic Framework in Microbial Fuel Cells as a Cost-Effective Oxygen Reduction Catalyst with Competitive Performance

“…Thus, a low-cost cathode catalyst alternative, to the platinum (Pt) or Pt-based catalysts, is required in the fabrication of MFC for wastewater treatment and electricity generation. Transition-metal-oxide-based cathode catalysts, − bi- or trimetal ferrites, alloy nanoparticles, , graphene-based catalysts, , and activated carbon from biomass are found to have applicability as cathode catalysts to enhance the performance of MFCs. The insertion of metal in the organic structure had also revealed an excellent ORR activity, e.g., iron phthalocyanine and MnO x composite cathode catalysts-based MFC exhibited a higher power production (143 mW/m 2 ) than MFC with Pt cathode (140 mW/m 2 ) …”