Porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet on graphene as metal-free catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in air-cathode microbial fuel cells.
Porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet on graphene (PNCN) was used as an alternative cathode catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Here we report a novel, low-cost, scalable, synthetic method for preparation of PNCN via the carbonization of graphite oxide-polyaniline hybrid (GO-PANI), subsequently followed by KOH activation treatment. Due to its high concentration of nitrogen and high specific surface area, PNCN exhibited an excellent catalytic activity for ORR. As a result, the maximum power density of 1159.34mWm(-2) obtained with PNCN catalyst was higher than that of Pt/C catalyst (858.49mWm(-2)) in a MFC. Therefore, porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet could be a good alternative to Pt catalyst in MFCs.
College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China. Electronic address: wenqing@hrbeu.edu.cn.
Qing
Q
Wen
Shaoyun
S
Wang
Jun
J
Yan
Lijie
L
Cong
Ye
Y
Chen
Hongyuan
H
Xi
D000388:Air; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002384:Catalysis; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D010087:Oxides; C416807:polyaniline; D006108:Graphite; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen
Microbial fuel cells; Nitrogen-doped carbon; Oxygen reduction reaction