Ameliorating Cu2+ reduction in microbial fuel cell with Z-scheme BiFeO3 decorated on flower-like ZnO composite photocathode

Sze-Mun Lam; Jin-Chung Sin; Honghu Zeng; Hua Lin; Haixiang Li; Abdul Rahman Mohamed; Jun Wei Lim

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132384

Ameliorating Cu²⁺ reduction in microbial fuel cell with Z-scheme BiFeO₃ decorated on flower-like ZnO composite photocathode

Chemosphere. 2022 Jan;287(Pt 4):132384. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132384. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

Authors

Sze-Mun Lam¹, Jin-Chung Sin², Honghu Zeng³, Hua Lin⁴, Haixiang Li⁴, Abdul Rahman Mohamed⁵, Jun Wei Lim⁶

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia. Electronic address: lamsm@utar.edu.my.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Department of Petrochemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia.
³ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China. Electronic address: zenghonghu@glut.edu.cn.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Theory and Technology for Environmental Pollution Control, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
⁵ School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
⁶ Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610, Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.

PMID: 34597645
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132384

Abstract

BiFeO₃ nanoparticle decorated on flower-like ZnO (BiFeO₃/ZnO) was fabricated through a facile hydrothermal-reflux combined method. This material was utilized as a composite photocathode for the first time in microbial fuel cell (MFC) to reduce the copper ion (Cu²⁺) and power generation concomitantly. The resultant BiFeO₃/ZnO-based MFC displayed distinct photoelectrocatalytic activities when different weight percentages (wt%) BiFeO₃ were used. The 3 wt% BiFeO₃/ZnO MFC achieved the maximum power density of 1.301 W m^-2 in the catholyte contained 200 mg L^-1 of Cu²⁺ and the power density was greatly higher than those pure ZnO and pure BiFeO₃ photocathodes. Meanwhile, the MFC exhibited 90.7% removal of Cu²⁺ within 6 h under sunlight exposure at catholyte pH 4. The addition of BiFeO₃ nanoparticles not only manifested outstanding capability in harvesting visible light, but also facilitated the formation of Z-scheme BiFeO₃/ZnO heterojunction structure to induce the charge carrier transfer along with enhanced redox abilities for the cathodic reduction. The pronounced electrical output and Cu²⁺ reduction efficiencies can be realized through the synergistic cooperation between the bioanode and BiFeO₃/ZnO photocathode in the MFC. Furthermore, the developed BiFeO₃/ZnO composite presented a good stability and reusability of photoelectrocatalytic activity up to five cyclic runs.

Keywords: BiFeO(3)/ZnO; Copper reduction; Electricity production; Microbial fuel cell; Photocathode; Sunlight.

MeSH terms

Bioelectric Energy Sources*
Copper
Electricity
Electrodes
Zinc Oxide*

Substances

Copper
Zinc Oxide