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Cathode materials for ceramic based microbial fuel cells (MFCs)

Cathode materials for ceramic based microbial fuel cells (MFCs)
Cathode materials for ceramic based microbial fuel cells (MFCs)
This study showed the electrochemical performance of different cathode electrodes tested on a ceramic separator functioning as a cation exchange membrane. Particularly, three different carbonaceous-based materials (carbon cloth (CC), carbon mesh (CM) and carbon veil (CV)) have been used as an electrode and as the current collector. When used as an electrode, CC outperformed the others. The carbonaceous materials have been modified using conductive paint (PA) and micro porous layer (MPL). With these modifications, the current output was two–three times higher. Generally, the current produced was slightly higher with MPL treatment compared to PA except in the case of CV-MPL that had lower output probably due to the negative effect of the heat treatment on the mechanical strength of the CV. In the case of PA, the current collectors do not seem to affect the output. The same consideration can also be done for the MPL except for the CV. The surface morphology seems to explain the results. Linear correlation was found between current produced and nanoscale roughness and skewness. The results indicated that those morphological parameters increased the contact between the cathode and the ceramic surface, thus enhancing the current generated. The further addition of the inorganic non-platinum group catalyst (Fe-AAPyr) on the surface significantly enhanced the performances. Following MPL modification and MPL-Fe-AAPyr addition, CM was the most cost effective support. CV was the most cost effective support with PA modification.
Carbonaceous materials, Ceramic separator, Current production, Morphology, Fe-AAPyr catalyst
0360-3199
14706-14715
Santoro, Carlo
03549f6d-d57f-4d79-8bae-2d9271aa7371
Artyushkova, Kateryna
71830208-9fe2-4905-9a9d-502fadc39972
Gajda, Iwona
943dd6bd-524b-4c7b-b794-dec5ee8014b7
Babanova, Sofia
8ce6e3f8-d047-4e85-9bcd-b6a5dbe6a36f
Serov, Alexey
d546edc2-cf7a-4b1a-a443-70bffdd636a3
Atanassov, Plamen
a1fe7e9b-9386-448a-90a8-a870c3163922
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Colombo, Alessandra
4480273e-21de-4406-b9f4-d2e75732e3c0
Trasatti, Stefano
2400e836-a731-4b71-93a9-1ea111042b62
Ieropoulos, Ioannis
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Cristiani, Pierangela
3cb7a0bc-6dd3-4514-ad96-60dc3578ce80
Santoro, Carlo
03549f6d-d57f-4d79-8bae-2d9271aa7371
Artyushkova, Kateryna
71830208-9fe2-4905-9a9d-502fadc39972
Gajda, Iwona
943dd6bd-524b-4c7b-b794-dec5ee8014b7
Babanova, Sofia
8ce6e3f8-d047-4e85-9bcd-b6a5dbe6a36f
Serov, Alexey
d546edc2-cf7a-4b1a-a443-70bffdd636a3
Atanassov, Plamen
a1fe7e9b-9386-448a-90a8-a870c3163922
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Colombo, Alessandra
4480273e-21de-4406-b9f4-d2e75732e3c0
Trasatti, Stefano
2400e836-a731-4b71-93a9-1ea111042b62
Ieropoulos, Ioannis
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Cristiani, Pierangela
3cb7a0bc-6dd3-4514-ad96-60dc3578ce80

Santoro, Carlo, Artyushkova, Kateryna, Gajda, Iwona, Babanova, Sofia, Serov, Alexey, Atanassov, Plamen, Greenman, John, Colombo, Alessandra, Trasatti, Stefano, Ieropoulos, Ioannis and Cristiani, Pierangela (2015) Cathode materials for ceramic based microbial fuel cells (MFCs). International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40 (42), 14706-14715. (doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.07.054).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This study showed the electrochemical performance of different cathode electrodes tested on a ceramic separator functioning as a cation exchange membrane. Particularly, three different carbonaceous-based materials (carbon cloth (CC), carbon mesh (CM) and carbon veil (CV)) have been used as an electrode and as the current collector. When used as an electrode, CC outperformed the others. The carbonaceous materials have been modified using conductive paint (PA) and micro porous layer (MPL). With these modifications, the current output was two–three times higher. Generally, the current produced was slightly higher with MPL treatment compared to PA except in the case of CV-MPL that had lower output probably due to the negative effect of the heat treatment on the mechanical strength of the CV. In the case of PA, the current collectors do not seem to affect the output. The same consideration can also be done for the MPL except for the CV. The surface morphology seems to explain the results. Linear correlation was found between current produced and nanoscale roughness and skewness. The results indicated that those morphological parameters increased the contact between the cathode and the ceramic surface, thus enhancing the current generated. The further addition of the inorganic non-platinum group catalyst (Fe-AAPyr) on the surface significantly enhanced the performances. Following MPL modification and MPL-Fe-AAPyr addition, CM was the most cost effective support. CV was the most cost effective support with PA modification.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 10 July 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 July 2015
Published date: 9 November 2015
Keywords: Carbonaceous materials, Ceramic separator, Current production, Morphology, Fe-AAPyr catalyst

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 454510
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/454510
ISSN: 0360-3199
PURE UUID: b79f53c0-40ff-4702-a026-69538dd212cb
ORCID for Ioannis Ieropoulos: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9641-5504

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 14 Feb 2022 17:43
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:10

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Contributors

Author: Carlo Santoro
Author: Kateryna Artyushkova
Author: Iwona Gajda
Author: Sofia Babanova
Author: Alexey Serov
Author: Plamen Atanassov
Author: John Greenman
Author: Alessandra Colombo
Author: Stefano Trasatti
Author: Pierangela Cristiani

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