title: Nanostructured graphene/TiO2 hybrids as high-performance anodes for microbial fuel cells.
abstract: A new nanostructured graphene/TiO2 (G/TiO2) hybrid was synthesized by a facile microwave-assisted solvothermal process in which amorphous TiO2 was assembled on graphene in situ. The resulting G/TiO2 hybrids were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption/desorption analysis. The electrochemical properties of the hybrids as anode materials for Shewanella-inoculated microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were studied for the first time, and they proved to be effective in improving MFC performance. The significantly improved bacterial attachment and extracellular electron-transfer efficiency could be attributed to the high specific surface area, active groups, large pore volume, and excellent conductivity of the nanostructured G/TiO2 hybrid, and this suggests that it could be a promising candidate for high-performance MFCs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Cui-e
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wen-Jing
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun-Jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D020592:Shewanella / Q000378:metabolism; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D006108:Graphite; D014025:Titanium
keywords: fuel cells; graphene; microwave chemistry; solvothermal synthesis; titania