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Three‐Dimensional Pseudocapacitive Interface for Enhanced Power Production in a Microbial Fuel Cell
Author(s) -
Gong XiaoBo,
You ShiJie,
Yuan Yuan,
Zhang JinNa,
Sun Kai,
Ren NanQi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201500174
Subject(s) - microbial fuel cell , materials science , electrode , electrochemistry , anode , redox , nanotechnology , carbon fibers , electron transfer , environmentally friendly , chemical engineering , power density , chemistry , power (physics) , composite material , metallurgy , ecology , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , composite number , biology , engineering
Interface properties are crucial to anodic extracellular electron transfer (EET) and power production of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), because they determine the local density of electroactive biofilms and the efficiency of electron transfer. To enhance MFC performance by improving EET, a 3D‐structured pseudocapacitive interface is created by in situ deposition of MnO 2 on a carbon electrode through the redox reaction between permanganate and carbon. The electrochemical performance of the MnO 2 ‐modified carbon paper electrode is increased considerably compared with an unmodified electrode, due to the increased local density of the exoelectrogenic biofilm and effective interfacial shuttling of electrons facilitated by the pseudocapacitive MnO 2 . The process for constructing 3D MnO 2 ‐based interfaces is technologically simple, environmentally friendly, and cost‐effective. This study provides a new and promising strategy for improving power production in MFCs for scaled‐up applications.