Abstract
A low cost Fe–N–C catalyst on an activated carbon (AC) support was synthesized from inexpensive ferric chloride and chitosan precursors to enhance power production by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The direct pyrolysis of preformed Fe(III)-chitosan hydrogel as a supporting scaffold created a porous structure on AC with a uniform distribution of Fe active sites. A maximum power density of 2.4 ± 0.1 W m−2 was obtained in MFCs using Fe–N–C/AC catalyst, which was 33% higher than the control MFCs using a plain AC catalyst (1.8 ± 0.03 W m−2). The Fe–N–C/AC catalyst was closer to the more efficient four electron transfer pathway for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than the plain AC or chitosan-modified AC. The adoption of chitosan as the N-containing precursor and ferric chloride for the Fe–N–C synthesis added only 6% more in material costs in cathode fabrication, but produced a 33% increase in the maximum power density. This increased power makes the use of this cathode material both economically viable and a sustainable approach to enhance power production in MFCs given the low cost and wide availability of chitosan.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 122522 |
| Journal | Chemical Engineering Journal |
| Volume | 380 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 15 2020 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Chemistry(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering(all)
- Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
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Low-cost Fe–N–C catalyst derived from Fe (III)-chitosan hydrogel to enhance power production in microbial fuel cells. / Yang, W.; Wang, Xu; Rossi, Ruggero; Logan, Bruce Ernest.
In: Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol. 380, 122522, 15.01.2020.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Low-cost Fe–N–C catalyst derived from Fe (III)-chitosan hydrogel to enhance power production in microbial fuel cells
AU - Yang, W.
AU - Wang, Xu
AU - Rossi, Ruggero
AU - Logan, Bruce Ernest
PY - 2020/1/15
Y1 - 2020/1/15
N2 - A low cost Fe–N–C catalyst on an activated carbon (AC) support was synthesized from inexpensive ferric chloride and chitosan precursors to enhance power production by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The direct pyrolysis of preformed Fe(III)-chitosan hydrogel as a supporting scaffold created a porous structure on AC with a uniform distribution of Fe active sites. A maximum power density of 2.4 ± 0.1 W m−2 was obtained in MFCs using Fe–N–C/AC catalyst, which was 33% higher than the control MFCs using a plain AC catalyst (1.8 ± 0.03 W m−2). The Fe–N–C/AC catalyst was closer to the more efficient four electron transfer pathway for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than the plain AC or chitosan-modified AC. The adoption of chitosan as the N-containing precursor and ferric chloride for the Fe–N–C synthesis added only 6% more in material costs in cathode fabrication, but produced a 33% increase in the maximum power density. This increased power makes the use of this cathode material both economically viable and a sustainable approach to enhance power production in MFCs given the low cost and wide availability of chitosan.
AB - A low cost Fe–N–C catalyst on an activated carbon (AC) support was synthesized from inexpensive ferric chloride and chitosan precursors to enhance power production by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The direct pyrolysis of preformed Fe(III)-chitosan hydrogel as a supporting scaffold created a porous structure on AC with a uniform distribution of Fe active sites. A maximum power density of 2.4 ± 0.1 W m−2 was obtained in MFCs using Fe–N–C/AC catalyst, which was 33% higher than the control MFCs using a plain AC catalyst (1.8 ± 0.03 W m−2). The Fe–N–C/AC catalyst was closer to the more efficient four electron transfer pathway for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than the plain AC or chitosan-modified AC. The adoption of chitosan as the N-containing precursor and ferric chloride for the Fe–N–C synthesis added only 6% more in material costs in cathode fabrication, but produced a 33% increase in the maximum power density. This increased power makes the use of this cathode material both economically viable and a sustainable approach to enhance power production in MFCs given the low cost and wide availability of chitosan.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071264539&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85071264539&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2019.122522
DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2019.122522
M3 - Article
VL - 380
JO - Chemical Engineering Journal
JF - Chemical Engineering Journal
SN - 1385-8947
M1 - 122522
ER -