Graphitic biochar as a cathode electrocatalyst support for microbial fuel cells

Tyler M. Huggins; Jeremy J. Pietron; Heming Wang; Zhiyong Jason Ren; Justin C. Biffinger

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.012

Graphitic biochar as a cathode electrocatalyst support for microbial fuel cells

Tyler M. Huggins, Jeremy J. Pietron, Heming Wang, Zhiyong Jason Ren, Justin C. Biffinger

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

136 Scopus citations

Abstract

Graphitic biochar (BC) was generated using high temperature gasification and alkaline post-treatment (BCw) of wood-based biomass. The BCw was evaluated as a manganese oxide electrocatalytic support (MnO/BCw) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) air cathode. Nano-structured MnO₂ crystals were successfully immobilized on biomass-based graphitic sheets and characterized using physical, chemical, and electrochemical analyses. Cyclic voltammetry of MnO/BCw/Nafion inks showed electrochemical features typical of Β-MnO₂ with a current density of 0.9 mA cm^-2. BC showed satisfactory maximum power densities of 146.7 mW m^-2 (BCw) and 187.8 W m^-2 (MnO/BCw), compared with Vulcan Carbon (VC) (156.8 mW m^-2) and manganese oxide VC composites (MnO/VC) (606.1 mW m^-2). These materials were also tested as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for single chamber MFCs inoculated with anaerobic sludge. Our results demonstrate that BC can serve as an effective, low cost, and scalable material for MFC application.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	147-153
Number of pages	7
Journal	Bioresource Technology
Volume	195
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.012
State	Published - 2015
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Bioengineering
Environmental Engineering
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Waste Management and Disposal

Keywords

Biochar
Manganese oxide
Microbial fuel cell
O reduction
Renewable

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10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.012

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title = "Graphitic biochar as a cathode electrocatalyst support for microbial fuel cells",

abstract = "Graphitic biochar (BC) was generated using high temperature gasification and alkaline post-treatment (BCw) of wood-based biomass. The BCw was evaluated as a manganese oxide electrocatalytic support (MnO/BCw) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) air cathode. Nano-structured MnO2 crystals were successfully immobilized on biomass-based graphitic sheets and characterized using physical, chemical, and electrochemical analyses. Cyclic voltammetry of MnO/BCw/Nafion inks showed electrochemical features typical of Β-MnO2 with a current density of 0.9 mA cm-2. BC showed satisfactory maximum power densities of 146.7 mW m-2 (BCw) and 187.8 W m-2 (MnO/BCw), compared with Vulcan Carbon (VC) (156.8 mW m-2) and manganese oxide VC composites (MnO/VC) (606.1 mW m-2). These materials were also tested as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for single chamber MFCs inoculated with anaerobic sludge. Our results demonstrate that BC can serve as an effective, low cost, and scalable material for MFC application.",

keywords = "Biochar, Manganese oxide, Microbial fuel cell, O reduction, Renewable",

author = "Huggins, {Tyler M.} and Pietron, {Jeremy J.} and Heming Wang and Ren, {Zhiyong Jason} and Biffinger, {Justin C.}",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.012",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "195",

pages = "147--153",

journal = "Bioresource Technology",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Graphitic biochar as a cathode electrocatalyst support for microbial fuel cells

AU - Huggins, Tyler M.

AU - Pietron, Jeremy J.

AU - Wang, Heming

AU - Ren, Zhiyong Jason

AU - Biffinger, Justin C.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Graphitic biochar (BC) was generated using high temperature gasification and alkaline post-treatment (BCw) of wood-based biomass. The BCw was evaluated as a manganese oxide electrocatalytic support (MnO/BCw) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) air cathode. Nano-structured MnO2 crystals were successfully immobilized on biomass-based graphitic sheets and characterized using physical, chemical, and electrochemical analyses. Cyclic voltammetry of MnO/BCw/Nafion inks showed electrochemical features typical of Β-MnO2 with a current density of 0.9 mA cm-2. BC showed satisfactory maximum power densities of 146.7 mW m-2 (BCw) and 187.8 W m-2 (MnO/BCw), compared with Vulcan Carbon (VC) (156.8 mW m-2) and manganese oxide VC composites (MnO/VC) (606.1 mW m-2). These materials were also tested as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for single chamber MFCs inoculated with anaerobic sludge. Our results demonstrate that BC can serve as an effective, low cost, and scalable material for MFC application.

AB - Graphitic biochar (BC) was generated using high temperature gasification and alkaline post-treatment (BCw) of wood-based biomass. The BCw was evaluated as a manganese oxide electrocatalytic support (MnO/BCw) and microbial fuel cell (MFC) air cathode. Nano-structured MnO2 crystals were successfully immobilized on biomass-based graphitic sheets and characterized using physical, chemical, and electrochemical analyses. Cyclic voltammetry of MnO/BCw/Nafion inks showed electrochemical features typical of Β-MnO2 with a current density of 0.9 mA cm-2. BC showed satisfactory maximum power densities of 146.7 mW m-2 (BCw) and 187.8 W m-2 (MnO/BCw), compared with Vulcan Carbon (VC) (156.8 mW m-2) and manganese oxide VC composites (MnO/VC) (606.1 mW m-2). These materials were also tested as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for single chamber MFCs inoculated with anaerobic sludge. Our results demonstrate that BC can serve as an effective, low cost, and scalable material for MFC application.

KW - Biochar

KW - Manganese oxide

KW - Microbial fuel cell

KW - O reduction

KW - Renewable

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ER -

Graphitic biochar as a cathode electrocatalyst support for microbial fuel cells

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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