Acidic and alkaline pretreatments of activated carbon and their effects on the performance of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells

Xin Wang; Ningshengjie Gao; Qixing Zhou; Heng Dong; Hongbing Yu; Yujie Feng

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.022

Acidic and alkaline pretreatments of activated carbon and their effects on the performance of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells

Xin Wang
, Ningshengjie Gao
, Qixing Zhou^*
, Heng Dong
, Hongbing Yu
, Yujie Feng

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Environment

Nankai University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

101 Scopus citations

Abstract

Activated carbon (AC) is a high performing and cost effective catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Acidic (HNO₃) and alkaline (KOH) pretreatments on AC at low temperature (85°C) are conducted to enhance the performance of MFCs. The alkaline pretreatment increased the power density by 16% from 804±70 to 957±31mWm^-2, possibly due to the decrease of ohmic resistance (from 20.58 to 19.20Ω) and the increase of ORR activities provided by the adsorbed hydroxide ion and extra micropore area/volume after alkaline pretreatment. However, acidic pretreatment decreased the power output to 537±36mWm^-2, which can be mainly attributed to the corrosion by adsorbed proton at the interface of AC powder and stainless steel mesh and the decreased pore area.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	632-636
Number of pages	5
Journal	Bioresource Technology
Volume	144
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.022
State	Published - Sep 2013

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Activated carbon
Microbial fuel cell
Porous analysis
Pretreatment
Surface pH

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10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.022

Cite this

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title = "Acidic and alkaline pretreatments of activated carbon and their effects on the performance of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells",

abstract = "Activated carbon (AC) is a high performing and cost effective catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Acidic (HNO3) and alkaline (KOH) pretreatments on AC at low temperature (85°C) are conducted to enhance the performance of MFCs. The alkaline pretreatment increased the power density by 16\% from 804±70 to 957±31mWm-2, possibly due to the decrease of ohmic resistance (from 20.58 to 19.20Ω) and the increase of ORR activities provided by the adsorbed hydroxide ion and extra micropore area/volume after alkaline pretreatment. However, acidic pretreatment decreased the power output to 537±36mWm-2, which can be mainly attributed to the corrosion by adsorbed proton at the interface of AC powder and stainless steel mesh and the decreased pore area.",

keywords = "Activated carbon, Microbial fuel cell, Porous analysis, Pretreatment, Surface pH",

author = "Xin Wang and Ningshengjie Gao and Qixing Zhou and Heng Dong and Hongbing Yu and Yujie Feng",

year = "2013",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.022",

language = "英语",

volume = "144",

pages = "632--636",

journal = "Bioresource Technology",

issn = "0960-8524",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Acidic and alkaline pretreatments of activated carbon and their effects on the performance of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells

AU - Wang, Xin

AU - Gao, Ningshengjie

AU - Zhou, Qixing

AU - Dong, Heng

AU - Yu, Hongbing

AU - Feng, Yujie

PY - 2013/9

Y1 - 2013/9

N2 - Activated carbon (AC) is a high performing and cost effective catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Acidic (HNO3) and alkaline (KOH) pretreatments on AC at low temperature (85°C) are conducted to enhance the performance of MFCs. The alkaline pretreatment increased the power density by 16% from 804±70 to 957±31mWm-2, possibly due to the decrease of ohmic resistance (from 20.58 to 19.20Ω) and the increase of ORR activities provided by the adsorbed hydroxide ion and extra micropore area/volume after alkaline pretreatment. However, acidic pretreatment decreased the power output to 537±36mWm-2, which can be mainly attributed to the corrosion by adsorbed proton at the interface of AC powder and stainless steel mesh and the decreased pore area.

AB - Activated carbon (AC) is a high performing and cost effective catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Acidic (HNO3) and alkaline (KOH) pretreatments on AC at low temperature (85°C) are conducted to enhance the performance of MFCs. The alkaline pretreatment increased the power density by 16% from 804±70 to 957±31mWm-2, possibly due to the decrease of ohmic resistance (from 20.58 to 19.20Ω) and the increase of ORR activities provided by the adsorbed hydroxide ion and extra micropore area/volume after alkaline pretreatment. However, acidic pretreatment decreased the power output to 537±36mWm-2, which can be mainly attributed to the corrosion by adsorbed proton at the interface of AC powder and stainless steel mesh and the decreased pore area.

KW - Activated carbon

KW - Microbial fuel cell

KW - Porous analysis

KW - Pretreatment

KW - Surface pH

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84881549685

U2 - 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.022

DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.022

M3 - 文章

C2 - 23890977

AN - SCOPUS:84881549685

SN - 0960-8524

VL - 144

SP - 632

EP - 636

JO - Bioresource Technology

JF - Bioresource Technology

ER -

Acidic and alkaline pretreatments of activated carbon and their effects on the performance of air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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