title: Synthesis of iron oxide/partly graphitized carbon composites as a high-efficiency and low-cost cathode catalyst for microbial fuel cells.
abstract: Waste cornstalks and pomelo skins are used as carbon resources for preparing nanocomposites of iron oxide and partly graphitized carbon (Fe3O4/PGC-CS and Fe3O4/PGC-PS). The results showed that Fe3O4 with a face-centered cubic structure is uniformly dispersed on the skeleton of Fe3O4/GC, and the highest SBET values of Fe3O4/PGC-CS (476.5 m(2) g(-1)) and Fe3O4/PGC-PS (547.7 m(2) g(-1)) are obtained at 1000 °C. The electrical conductivity and density of catalytic active sites are correspondingly improved by the introduction of Fe species. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with a mixed composite (Fe3O4/PGC-CS:Fe3O4/PGC-PS = 1:1) cathode (three-dimensional structures) generate the highest power density of 1502 ± 30 mW m(-2), which is 26.01% higher than that of Pt/C (1192 ± 33 mW m(-2)) and only declines by 7.12% after 18 cycles. The Fe3O4/PGC-CS cathode has the highest Coulombic efficiency (24.3 ± 0.7%). The Fe3O4/PGC composites exhibit high oxygen reduction reactivity, low charge transfer resistances, and long-term stability and can be used as a low-cost and high-efficiency catalyst for MFCs.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, and ‡Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering Process and Technology for High-Efficiency Conversion, College of Heilongjiang Province, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Heilongjiang University , Harbin 150080, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Jin-long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Hong-gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000191:economics*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002384:Catalysis; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003460:Crystallization; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004566:Electrodes; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D006108:Graphite / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D006108:Graphite