Mo2 C/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity and Biocompatibility for Microbial Fuel Cells

Wenxian Guo; Meiqiong Chen; Xiaoqing Liu; Faliang Cheng; Xihong Lu

doi:10.1002/chem.202005020

Mo₂ C/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity and Biocompatibility for Microbial Fuel Cells

Chemistry. 2021 Mar 1;27(13):4291-4296. doi: 10.1002/chem.202005020. Epub 2021 Feb 8.

Authors

Wenxian Guo¹, Meiqiong Chen¹, Xiaoqing Liu², Faliang Cheng³, Xihong Lu²

Affiliations

¹ School of Urban Construction and Environment, City College of Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523419, P. R. China.
² MOE of the Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, The Key Lab of Low-carbon Chem & Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, P. R. China.
³ School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for, Advanced Nanomaterials, Dongguan University of Technology, Guangdong, 523808, P. R. China.

PMID: 33411374
DOI: 10.1002/chem.202005020

Abstract

A simple, cost-effective strategy was developed to effectively improve the electron transfer efficiency as well as the power output of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by decorating the commercial carbon paper (CP) anode with an advanced Mo₂ C/reduced graphene oxide (Mo₂ C/RGO) composite. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of the superior electrocatalytic activity of Mo₂ C, the high surface area, and prominent conductivity of RGO, the MFC equipped with this Mo₂ C/RGO composite yielded a remarkable output power density of 1747±37.6 mW m^-2 , which was considerably higher than that of CP-MFC (926.8±6.3 mW m^-2 ). Importantly, the composite also facilitated the formation of 3D hybrid biofilm and could effectively improve the bacteria-electrode interaction. These features resulted in an enhanced coulombic efficiency up 13.2 %, nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of the CP (1.2 %).

Keywords: Mo2C/graphene oxide; anode; electrocatalytic activity; microbial fuel cells; nanocomposites.

Abstract

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