Evaluation of porous carbon felt as an aerobic biocathode support in terms of hydrogen peroxide

Milner, Edward M.; Scott, Keith; Head, Ian M.; Curtis, Tom; Yu, Eileen Hao

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.03.079

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 51 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Those results are in agreement with previously reported data in which carbonaceous metal‐free catalyst follow a 2e‐ transfer mechanism, PGM catalysts tend to follow a direct 4e‐ transfer mechanism. Interestingly, PGM‐free catalyst can follow a 2e‐ or a 4e‐ but more generally tend to have a 2×2e‐ transfer mechanism in which the intermediate (H 2 O 2 ) is further reduced through another active site into the catalyst.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Microbial Desalination Cells with Efficient Platinum‐Group‐Metal‐Free Cathode Catalysts

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An iron‐nitrogen‐carbon‐based catalyst was used at the cathode of a microbial desalination cell (MDC) and compared with platinum (Pt) and an activated carbon (AC) cathode. The Fe‐N−C catalyst was prepared by using nicarbazin (NCB) as the organic precursor through a sacrificial support method (SSM). Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) experiments show that Fe‐NCB had a higher electrocatalytic activity compared to AC and Pt. The utilization of Fe‐NCB in the cathode substantially improved the performance output with an initial maximum power density of 49±2 μW cm−2 in contrast to Pt and AC catalysts, which show lower values of 34±1 and 23.5±1.5 μW cm−2, respectively. After four cycles, Fe‐NCB catalyst lost 15 % of its initial performance, but still was 1.3 and 1.8 times more active than Pt and AC, respectively. Solution conductivity inside the desalination chamber (DC) decreased by 46–55 % with every cycle. The pH of the cathodic chamber and the DC increased to 10–11, owing to the production of OH− during the oxygen reduction reaction and the migration of OH− into the DC. Chemical organic demand decreased by 73–83 % during each cycle. It was shown that Fe‐NCB and Pt had a similar coulombic efficiency (CE) of 39±7 % and 38±2 %, whereas AC had lower CE (24±5 %).

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Microbial Desalination Cells with Efficient Platinum‐Group‐Metal‐Free Cathode Catalysts

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These features are not present at the point of inoculation for both half‐cells ( t = 0 days). The ORR wave with an onset potential value of +0.4 V is considerably more positive than the abiotic ORR wave at t = 0 days with an onset potential of approximately –0.1 V, and has been observed in our previous aerobic biocathode studies , and those in literature , , , . This catalytic behavior is believed to be due to the activity of uncultured Gammaproteobacteria , , which likely gain energy for metabolism and growth by using electrons derived directly from the electrode, simultaneously catalyzing the ORR .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The half‐cells were operated at a fixed poised‐potential of –0.1 V using a potentiostat (Sycopel, UK) and the current measured under conditions of continuous air sparging from an air pump. A poised‐potential of –0.1 V was selected as a compromise between achieving a minimum potential to increase potential bacterial energy gain from the cathode, but limiting abiotic formation of peroxide through 2‐electron ORR on carbon which is detrimental to biofilm growth, on the basis of results from our previous study . Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) were recorded after 1 month of continuous half‐cell operation, over a range from –0.2 to +0.5 V with a scan rate of 5 mV s −1 , as described previously .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Oxygen Mass Transfer on Aerobic Biocathode Performance, Biofilm Growth and Distribution in Microbial Fuel Cells

Milner

2018

Fuel Cells

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a sustainable technology for the direct conversion of biodegradable organics in wastewater into electricity. In most MFCs, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is used as the cathode reduction reaction. Aerobic biocathodes, which use bacteria as biocatalysts to catalyze the cathode ORR, provide self‐sustained, robust and highly active alternatives to chemical catalysts. However, further study of the effect of oxygen mass transfer to the biofilm and cathode materials design is needed. In the current work, two aerobic biocathodes were enriched in half‐cells, and oxygen mass transfer to the biofilm and the biofilm distribution in the porous electrode structure were investigated. It was found that mass transfer of oxygen to the aerobic biocathode was a significant factor affecting cathode ORR, evidenced by a strong correlation between the air flow rate and current. Additionally, it was found that the biofilm penetrates between 20–30% into the porous carbon electrode structure, which is likely due to oxygen mass transfer limitations. The performance of a MFC with biocatalysts at both anode and cathode (64 µW cm−2 peak power at an air flowrate of 1 L min−1) showed strong correlation with air flowrate, confirming the observation in the half‐cell system.

show abstract

“…This composite was used to fabricate a modified carbon felt electrode (cathode) for MES experiments. Typically, a piece of carbon felt (1×1 cm 2 , AvCarb soft carbon felt, Fuel cell earth) was electrically connected with titanium metal wire [65]. This carbon felt electrode was then immersed in the composites of GO-MNPs for 15 min and dried for 1 h at room temperature (25 °C).…”

Section: Electrostatic Assembly Of Rgo-mnps Composite and Electrode F...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetite nanoparticle anchored graphene cathode enhances microbial electrosynthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate by Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1

Karthikeyan¹,

Ranaivoarisoa²,

Bai³

et al. 2020

Nanotechnology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an emerging technology that can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added organic carbon compounds using electrons supplied from a cathode. However, MES is affected by low product formation due to limited extracellular electron uptake by microbes. Herein, a novel cathode was developed from chemically synthesized magnetite nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (rGO-MNPs). This nanocomposite was electrochemically deposited on carbon felt (CF/rGO-MNPs), and the modified material was used as a cathode for MES production. The bioplastic, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) produced by Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 (TIE-1), was measured from reactors with modified and unmodified cathodes. Results demonstrate that the magnetite nanoparticle anchored graphene cathode (CF/rGO-MNPs) exhibited higher PHB production (91.31 ± 0.9 mg l−1). This is ∼4.2 times higher than unmodified carbon felt (CF), and 20 times higher than previously reported using graphite. This modified cathode enhanced electron uptake to −11.7 ± 0.1 μA cm−2, ∼5 times higher than CF cathode (−2.3 ± 0.08 μA cm−2). The faradaic efficiency of the modified cathode was ∼2 times higher than the unmodified cathode. Electrochemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy suggest that rGO-MNPs facilitated electron uptake and improved PHB production by TIE-1. Overall, the nanocomposite (rGO-MNPs) cathode modification enhances MES efficiency.

show abstract

Evaluation of porous carbon felt as an aerobic biocathode support in terms of hydrogen peroxide

Cited by 11 publications

References 51 publications

Microbial Desalination Cells with Efficient Platinum‐Group‐Metal‐Free Cathode Catalysts

Microbial Desalination Cells with Efficient Platinum‐Group‐Metal‐Free Cathode Catalysts

The Effect of Oxygen Mass Transfer on Aerobic Biocathode Performance, Biofilm Growth and Distribution in Microbial Fuel Cells

Magnetite nanoparticle anchored graphene cathode enhances microbial electrosynthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate by Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About