Bimetallic metal-organic frameworks derived cobalt nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube nanopolyhedra as advanced electrocatalyst for high-performance of activated carbon air-cathode microbial fuel cell

Song Zhang; Wei Su; Xiaojing Wang; Kexun Li; Yong Li

doi:10.1016/j.bios.2018.12.028

Bimetallic metal-organic frameworks derived cobalt nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube nanopolyhedra as advanced electrocatalyst for high-performance of activated carbon air-cathode microbial fuel cell

Biosens Bioelectron. 2019 Feb 15:127:181-187. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2018.12.028. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Authors

Song Zhang¹, Wei Su², Xiaojing Wang³, Kexun Li⁴, Yong Li⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin key Laboratory of Membrane and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China; The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of environmental Remediation Pollution Control, MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
² School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin key Laboratory of Membrane and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
³ School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin key Laboratory of Membrane and Desalination Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China. Electronic address: tdxjwang@163.com.
⁴ The College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of environmental Remediation Pollution Control, MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China. Electronic address: likx@nankai.edu.cn.
⁵ Trinity International Consulting Corporation, Beijing 100022, China.

PMID: 30605807
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2018.12.028

Abstract

A new type of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube embedded cobalt nanoparticles nanopolyhedra (Co-NCNTNP) electrocatalyst synthesized via pyrolysis bimetallic metal-organic frameworks was investigated to modify the activated carbon air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC). X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope characterization confirmed the combination of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube and transition metal element in Co-NCNTNP. Rotating disk electrode measurement revealed the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of as-prepared Co-NCNTNP was mainly proceeded via a four-electron pathway like Pt/C. When fabricated into activated carbon cathode, the optimized MFC reached the maximum power density of 2252 ± 46 mW m^-2, which was 154% higher than that of control. Moreover, the resistance including total resistance and charge transfer resistance of modified cathode significantly decreased comparing to the control, which was beneficial to better MFC performance. Therefore, all attracting properties suggested that noble-metal-free and high-efficiency Co-NCNTNP could be considered as a Pt-alternative electrocatalyst for ORR in MFC.

Keywords: Air cathode; Carbon nanotube nanopolyhedra; Cobalt nanoparticles; Microbial fuel cell; Oxygen reduction reaction.

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques*
Catalysis
Cobalt / chemistry*
Electrodes
Metal-Organic Frameworks / chemistry*
Nanoparticles / chemistry
Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry
Nitrogen / chemistry
Oxygen / chemistry*

Substances

Metal-Organic Frameworks
Nanotubes, Carbon
Cobalt
Nitrogen
Oxygen