Power generation using an activated carbon and metal mesh cathode in a microbial fuel cell

Fang Zhang; Shaoan Cheng; Deepak Pant; Gilbert Van Bogaert; Bruce E. Logan

doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2009.09.024

Power generation using an activated carbon and metal mesh cathode in a microbial fuel cell

Fang Zhang, Shaoan Cheng, Deepak Pant, Gilbert Van Bogaert, Bruce E. Logan

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

362 Scopus citations

Abstract

An inexpensive activated carbon (AC) air cathode was developed as an alternative to a platinum-catalyzed electrode for oxygen reduction in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). AC was cold-pressed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder to form the cathode around a Ni mesh current collector. This cathode construction avoided the need for carbon cloth or a metal catalyst, and produced a cathode with high activity for oxygen reduction at typical MFC current densities. Tests with the AC cathode produced a maximum power density of 1220 mW/m² (normalized to cathode projected surface area; 36 W/m³ based on liquid volume) compared to 1060 mW/m² obtained by Pt catalyzed carbon cloth cathode. The Coulombic efficiency ranged from 15% to 55%. These findings show that AC is a cost-effective material for achieving useful rates of oxygen reduction in air cathode MFCs.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2177-2179
Number of pages	3
Journal	Electrochemistry Communications
Volume	11
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2009.09.024
State	Published - Nov 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electrochemistry

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10.1016/j.elecom.2009.09.024

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title = "Power generation using an activated carbon and metal mesh cathode in a microbial fuel cell",

abstract = "An inexpensive activated carbon (AC) air cathode was developed as an alternative to a platinum-catalyzed electrode for oxygen reduction in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). AC was cold-pressed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder to form the cathode around a Ni mesh current collector. This cathode construction avoided the need for carbon cloth or a metal catalyst, and produced a cathode with high activity for oxygen reduction at typical MFC current densities. Tests with the AC cathode produced a maximum power density of 1220 mW/m2 (normalized to cathode projected surface area; 36 W/m3 based on liquid volume) compared to 1060 mW/m2 obtained by Pt catalyzed carbon cloth cathode. The Coulombic efficiency ranged from 15% to 55%. These findings show that AC is a cost-effective material for achieving useful rates of oxygen reduction in air cathode MFCs.",

author = "Fang Zhang and Shaoan Cheng and Deepak Pant and Bogaert, {Gilbert Van} and Logan, {Bruce E.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors thank D.W. Jones for help with the analytical measurements and M. Hazen for EDS analysis. This research was supported by Award KUS-I1-003-13 from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The research at VITO is supported by a Grant from Milieu en Energietechnologie InnovatiePlatform (Project M8463 – Sewage Plus). ",

year = "2009",

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doi = "10.1016/j.elecom.2009.09.024",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "11",

pages = "2177--2179",

journal = "Electrochemistry Communications",

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T1 - Power generation using an activated carbon and metal mesh cathode in a microbial fuel cell

AU - Zhang, Fang

AU - Cheng, Shaoan

AU - Pant, Deepak

AU - Bogaert, Gilbert Van

AU - Logan, Bruce E.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank D.W. Jones for help with the analytical measurements and M. Hazen for EDS analysis. This research was supported by Award KUS-I1-003-13 from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The research at VITO is supported by a Grant from Milieu en Energietechnologie InnovatiePlatform (Project M8463 – Sewage Plus).

PY - 2009/11

Y1 - 2009/11

N2 - An inexpensive activated carbon (AC) air cathode was developed as an alternative to a platinum-catalyzed electrode for oxygen reduction in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). AC was cold-pressed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder to form the cathode around a Ni mesh current collector. This cathode construction avoided the need for carbon cloth or a metal catalyst, and produced a cathode with high activity for oxygen reduction at typical MFC current densities. Tests with the AC cathode produced a maximum power density of 1220 mW/m2 (normalized to cathode projected surface area; 36 W/m3 based on liquid volume) compared to 1060 mW/m2 obtained by Pt catalyzed carbon cloth cathode. The Coulombic efficiency ranged from 15% to 55%. These findings show that AC is a cost-effective material for achieving useful rates of oxygen reduction in air cathode MFCs.

AB - An inexpensive activated carbon (AC) air cathode was developed as an alternative to a platinum-catalyzed electrode for oxygen reduction in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). AC was cold-pressed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder to form the cathode around a Ni mesh current collector. This cathode construction avoided the need for carbon cloth or a metal catalyst, and produced a cathode with high activity for oxygen reduction at typical MFC current densities. Tests with the AC cathode produced a maximum power density of 1220 mW/m2 (normalized to cathode projected surface area; 36 W/m3 based on liquid volume) compared to 1060 mW/m2 obtained by Pt catalyzed carbon cloth cathode. The Coulombic efficiency ranged from 15% to 55%. These findings show that AC is a cost-effective material for achieving useful rates of oxygen reduction in air cathode MFCs.

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M3 - Article

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EP - 2179

JO - Electrochemistry Communications

JF - Electrochemistry Communications

IS - 11

ER -

Power generation using an activated carbon and metal mesh cathode in a microbial fuel cell

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