A family of Fe-N-C oxygen reduction electrocatalysts for microbial fuel cell (MFC) application: Relationships between surface chemistry and performances

Serov, Alexey; Gokhale, Rohan; Rojas-Carbonell, Santiago; Stariha, Lydia; Gordon, Jonathan; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Atanassov, Plamen; Santoro, Carlo

Abstract

© 2016 The Author(s) Different iron-based cathode catalysts have been studied for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in neutral media and then applied into microbial fuel cells (MFC). The catalysts have been synthesized using sacrificial support method (SSM) using eight different organic precursors named Niclosamide, Ricobendazole, Guanosine, Succinylsulfathiazole, Sulfacetamide, Quinine, Sulfadiazine and Pyrazinamide. Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV) curves were obtained for the catalysts using a O2 saturated in 0.1M potassium phosphate buffer and 0.1M KCl solution and a Rotating Ring Disk Electrode (RRDE) setup in order to study the ORR characteristics. Additionally, we analyze the peroxide yield obtained for each catalyst which helps us determine the reaction kinetics. Those catalysts have been mixed with activated carbon (AC), carbon black (CB) and PTFE and pressed on a metallic mesh forming a pellet-like gas diffusion electrode (GDE). Results showed that Fe-Ricobendazole, Fe-Niclosamide and Fe-Pyrazinamide had the highest cathode polarization curves and highest power densities output that was above 200μWcm−2. Fe-Ricobendazole, Fe-Niclosamide, Fe-Pyrazinamide, Fe-Guanosine Fe-Succinylsulfathiazole and Fe-Sulfacetamide outperformed compared to Pt cathode. Fe-Sulfadiazene and Fe-Quinine performed better than AC used as control but less than Pt. Correlation of surface composition with performance showed that power density achieved is directly related to the total amount of nitrogen, and in particularly, N coordinated to metal and pyridinic and pyrrolic types while larger amounts of graphitic nitrogen result in worse performance.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 5, 2016
• Publication Date: May 15, 2017
• Deposit Date: Apr 20, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 20, 2018
• Journal: Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
• Print ISSN: 0926-3373
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 205
• Pages: 24-33
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2016.12.013
• Keywords: PGM-free, power generation, surface chemistry, microbial fuel cell, ORR
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/904921
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2016.12.013
• Contract Date: Apr 20, 2018