title: Pyrolyzed binuclear-cobalt-phthalocyanine as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells.
abstract: A novel platinum (Pt)-free cathodic materials binuclear-cobalt-phthalocyanine (Bi-CoPc) pyrolyzed at different temperatures (300-1000 °C) were examined as the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts, and compared with unpyrolyzed Bi-CoPc/C and Pt cathode in single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs). The results showed that the pyrolysis process increased the nitrogen abundance on Bi-CoPc and changed the nitrogen types. The Bi-CoPc pyrolyzed at 800 °C contained a significant amount of pyrrolic-N, and exhibited a high electrochemical catalytic activity. The power density and current density increased with temperature: Bi-CoPc/C-800 > Bi-CoPc/C-1000 > Bi-CoPc/C-600 > Bi-CoPc/C-300 > Bi-CoPc/C. The SCMFC with Bi-CoPc/C-800 cathode had a maximum power density of 604 mW m(-2). The low cost Bi-CoPc compounds developed in this study showed a potential in air-breathing MFC systems, with the proper pyrolysis temperature being chosen.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Baitao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Mian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Xiuxiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology of Guangdong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: xjwangcn@scut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiujun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Bingchuan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
authors.forename: Baikun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D002384:Catalysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D004560:Electricity; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D054833:Isoindoles; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D054833:Isoindoles; D003035:Cobalt; D010100:Oxygen; C013647:phthalocyanine
keywords: Binuclear-cobalt-phthalocyanine; Microbial fuel cell; Nitrogen doping; Oxygen reduction reaction; Pyrolysis