title: Hollow-spherical Co/N-C nanoparticle as an efficient electrocatalyst used in air cathode microbial fuel cell.
abstract: The hollow-spherical Co/N-C nanoparticle, which is synthesized via a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by heat treatment, is firstly used as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC). The maximum power density of MFC with 10% Co/N-C air-cathode is as high as 2514±59mWm(-2), which is almost 174% higher than the control. The exchange current density (i0) of cathode equipped with 10% Co/N-C is 238% higher than that of untreated AC. While the total resistance of treated samples decreases from 13.017 to 10.255Ω. The intensity ratio of Raman D to G band (ID/IG) decreases from 0.93 (N-C) to 0.73 (Co/N-C), indicating the catalyst forms graphite structure. Both XRD and XPS testify that Co is bonded to N within graphitic sheets and serves as the active sites in ORR. The four-electron pathway of the Co/N-C also plays a crucial role in electrochemical catalytic activity. As a result, it can be expected that the as-synthesized Co/N-C, with extraordinary electro-catalytic performance towards ORR, will be a promising alternative to the state-of-the-art non-precious metal ORR electro-catalysts for electrochemical energy applications.
authors.affiliation: The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China. Electronic address: likx@nankai.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Kexun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Liangtao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.affiliation: The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Ziqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Baochao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
authors.forename: Yajun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Municipal & Environmental Sanitation Monitoring Department, Chongqing, 401121, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D002384:Catalysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D004566:Electrodes; D004735:Energy Transfer; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058608:Nanopores / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D012722:Sewage; D003035:Cobalt; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Catalytic activity; Graphitization; Hollow-spherical Co/N-C; Microbial fuel cell; Oxygen reduction reaction