title: Activity and stability of pyrolyzed iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells.
abstract: A low-cost and effective iron-chelated catalyst was developed as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The catalyst was prepared by pyrolyzing carbon mixed iron-chelated ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PFeEDTA/C) in an argon atmosphere. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed that PFeEDTA/C had a high catalytic activity for ORR. The MFC with a PFeEDTA/C cathode produced a maximum power density of 1122 mW/m(2), which was close to that with a Pt/C cathode (1166 mW/m(2)). The PFeEDTA/C was stable during an operation period of 31 days. Based on X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, quaternary-N modified with iron might be the active site for the oxygen reduction reaction. The total cost of a PFeEDTA/C catalyst was much lower than that of a Pt catalyst. Thus, PFeEDTA/C can be a good alternative to Pt in MFC practical applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002384:Catalysis; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004566:Electrodes; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D004492:Edetic Acid