title: Electrospun carbon nanofibers from polyacrylonitrile blended with activated or graphitized carbonaceous materials for improving anodic bioelectrocatalysis.
abstract: The electrospun carbon nanofibers obtained from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and PAN blends with either activated carbon (PAN-AC) or graphite (PAN-GR) were tested as anodes using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Extensive physico-chemical and electrochemical characterization confirmed their formation, their fibrous and porous nature, and their suitability as electrodes. N2 adsorption measurements revealed high specific surface area (229.8, 415.8 and 485.2m(2) g(-1)) and porosity (0.142, 0.202 and 0.239cm(3)g(-1)) for PAN, PAN-AC and PAN-GR, respectively. The chronoamperometric measurements showed a considerable decrease in start-up time and more than a 10-fold increase in the generation of current with these electrodes (115, 139 and 155μAcm(-2) for PAN, PAN-AC and PAN-GR, respectively) compared to the graphite electrode (11.5μAcm(-2)). These results indicate that the bioelectrocatalysis benefits from the blending of PAN with activated or graphitized carbonaceous materials, presumably due to the increased specific surface area, total pore volume and modification of the carbon microstructure.
authors: Department of Analytical Chemistry/Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, PO Box 124, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden. sunilmicro12@gmail.com
authors: Sunil A
authors: SA
authors: Patil
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Chigome
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Hägerhäll
authors: Nelson
authors: N
authors: Torto
authors: Lo
authors: L
authors: Gorton
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002384:Catalysis; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000378:metabolism*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers; D020592:Shewanella / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; C010504:polyacrylonitrile; D006108:Graphite