High Power Generation with Reducing Agents Using Compost Soil as a Novel Electrocatalyst for Ammonium Fuel Cells

Abstract

Ammonium toxicity is a significant source of pollution from industrial civilization that is disrupting the balance of natural systems, adversely affecting soil and water quality, and causing several environmental problems that affect aquatic and human life, including the strong promotion of eutrophication and increased dissolved oxygen consumption. Thus, a cheap catalyst is required for power generation and detoxification. Herein, compost soil is employed as a novel electrocatalyst for ammonium degradation and high-power generation. Moreover, its effect on catalytic activity and material performances is systematically optimized and compared by treating it with various reducing agents, including potassium ferricyanide, ferrocyanide, and manganese dioxide. Ammonium fuel was supplied to the compost soil ammonium fuel cell (CS-AFC) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 g/mL. The overall results show that ferricyanide affords a maximum power density of 1785.20 mW/m2 at 0.2 g/mL fuel concentration. This study focuses on high-power generation for CS-AFC. CS-AFCs are sustainable for many hours without any catalyst deactivation; however, they need to be refueled at regular intervals (every 12 h). Moreover, CS-AFCs afford the best performance when ferricyanide is used as the electron acceptor at the cathode. This study proposes a cheap electrocatalyst and possible solutions to the more serious energy generation problems. This study will help in recycling ammonium-rich wastewaters as free fuel for running CS-AFC devices to yield high-power generation with reducing agents for ammonium fuel cell power applications.

Supramolecular Polymeric Material Based on Twisted Cucurbit[14]uril: Sensitive Detection and Removal of Potential Cyanide from Water

“…However, the use of potassium ferricyanide cannot be avoided, as it is an important chemical in various industrial processes, including pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, and pigments. Accidental release of cyanide into the water can lead to serious environmental problems and life-threatening health issues. − The World Health Organization (WHO) requires that the maximum concentration of cyanide in drinking water does not exceed 1.9 μM, which makes potassium ferricyanide in the water a potential threat. Given this, the detection of potassium ferricyanide is a particularly important project.…”

Applications of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology in Energy Storage Device

“…Recently, the density functional theory was employed to investigate the performance of V4C3 MXene as an anode for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries [3]. A cheap electrocatalyst and possible solutions to the more serious energy generation problems were proposed through the use of compost soil as a novel electrocatalyst for ammonium fuel cells [4]. The influence of the morphology, surface area and surface modification of carbonaceous additives on the performance of corresponding cathodes was evaluated for a lithium-sulfur battery [5].…”