title: Acidic and alkaline pretreatments of activated carbon and their effects on the performance of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells.
abstract: Activated carbon (AC) is a high performing and cost effective catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Acidic (HNO3) and alkaline (KOH) pretreatments on AC at low temperature (85°C) are conducted to enhance the performance of MFCs. The alkaline pretreatment increased the power density by 16% from 804±70 to 957±31 mW m(-2), possibly due to the decrease of ohmic resistance (from 20.58 to 19.20 Ω) and the increase of ORR activities provided by the adsorbed hydroxide ion and extra micropore area/volume after alkaline pretreatment. However, acidic pretreatment decreased the power output to 537±36 mW m(-2), which can be mainly attributed to the corrosion by adsorbed proton at the interface of AC powder and stainless steel mesh and the decreased pore area.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria/Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Nankai District, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ningshengjie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Qixing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Hongbing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000388:Air; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D004560:Electricity; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D016062:Porosity; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006878:Hydroxides; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D002606:Charcoal; D017942:Nitric Acid; D009584:Nitrogen; C029943:potassium hydroxide
keywords: Activated carbon; Microbial fuel cell; Porous analysis; Pretreatment; Surface pH