title: Electrical performance of low cost cathodes prepared by plasma sputtering deposition in microbial fuel cells.
abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) could potentially be utilized for a variety of applications in the future from biosensors to wastewater treatment. However, the amount of costly platinum (Pt) used as a catalyst should be minimized via innovative deposition methods such as sputtering. In addition, alternative and low-cost catalysts, such as cobalt (Co), should be sought. In this study, ultra low Pt or Co cathodes (0.1 mg cm(-2)) were manufactured by plasma sputtering deposition and scanning electron micrographs revealed nano-clusters of metal catalyst in a porous structure favorable to the three-phase heterogeneous catalytic reaction. When operated in single-chamber air-cathode MFCs, sputtered-Co cathodes generated on average the same power as sputtered-Pt cathodes (0.27 mW cell(-1)) and only 27% less than conventional Pt-ink cathodes with a catalyst load 5 times higher (0.5 mg cm(-2)). Finally, microscopy and molecular analyses showed evidence of biocatalysis activity on metal-free cathodes.
authors: Centre for Water Research, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Lefebvre
authors: Zhe
authors: Z
authors: Tang
authors: Martin P H
authors: MP
authors: Fung
authors: Daniel H C
authors: DH
authors: Chua
authors: In Seop
authors: IS
authors: Chang
authors: How Y
authors: HY
authors: Ng
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D002384:Catalysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D058626:Plasma Gases; D003035:Cobalt; D010984:Platinum