title: Co-generation of hydrogen and power/current pulses from supercapacitive MFCs using novel HER iron-based catalysts.
abstract: In this work, four different supercapacitive microbial fuel cells (SC-MFCs) with carbon brush as the anode and an air-breathing cathode with Fe-Aminoantipyrine (Fe-AAPyr) as the catalyst have been investigated using galvanostatic discharges. The maximum power (Pmax) obtained was in the range from 1.7 mW to 1.9 mW for each SC-MFC. This in-series connection of four SC-MFCs almost quadrupled Pmaxto an operating voltage of 3025 mV and a Pmaxof 8.1 mW, one of the highest power outputs reported in the literature. An additional electrode (AdHER) connected to the anode of the first SC-MFC and placed in the fourth SC-MFC evolved hydrogen. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) taking place at the electrode was studied on Pt and two novel platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts: Fe-Aminoantipyrine (Fe-AAPyr) and Fe-Mebendazole (Fe-MBZ). The amount of H2produced was estimated using the Faraday law as 0.86 mMd-1cm-2(0.132 L day-1) for Pt, 0.83 mMd-1cm-2(0.127 L day-1) for Fe-AAPyr and 0.8 mMd-1cm-2(0.123 L day-1) for Fe-MBZ. Hydrogen evolution was also detected using gas chromatography. While HER was taking place, galvanostatic discharges were also performed showing simultaneous H2production and pulsed power generation with no need of external power sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Selmi, 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Soavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Selmi, 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Catia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arbizzani
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Alexey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serov
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kabir
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, 4120 Capricorn Lane, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Kayla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, 4120 Capricorn Lane, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Orianna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bretschger
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Plamen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Atanassov
keywords: PGM-free catalysts; Supercapacitor; bioenergy; hydrogen evolution; microbial fuel cells