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Microbial Desalination Cells with Efficient Platinum‐Group‐Metal‐Free Cathode Catalysts
Author(s) -
Santoro Carlo,
Talarposhti Morteza Rezaei,
Kodali Mounika,
Gokhale Rohan,
Serov Alexey,
MerinoJimenez Irene,
Ieropoulos Ioannis,
Atanassov Plamen
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201700626
Subject(s) - faraday efficiency , cathode , catalysis , desalination , platinum , activated carbon , chemistry , carbon fibers , electrode , microbial fuel cell , metal , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , membrane , adsorption , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , anode , composite material , biochemistry , composite number , engineering
An iron‐nitrogen‐carbon‐based catalyst was used at the cathode of a microbial desalination cell (MDC) and compared with platinum (Pt) and an activated carbon (AC) cathode. The Fe‐N−C catalyst was prepared by using nicarbazin (NCB) as the organic precursor through a sacrificial support method (SSM). Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) experiments show that Fe‐NCB had a higher electrocatalytic activity compared to AC and Pt. The utilization of Fe‐NCB in the cathode substantially improved the performance output with an initial maximum power density of 49±2 μW cm −2 in contrast to Pt and AC catalysts, which show lower values of 34±1 and 23.5±1.5 μW cm −2 , respectively. After four cycles, Fe‐NCB catalyst lost 15 % of its initial performance, but still was 1.3 and 1.8 times more active than Pt and AC, respectively. Solution conductivity inside the desalination chamber (DC) decreased by 46–55 % with every cycle. The pH of the cathodic chamber and the DC increased to 10–11, owing to the production of OH − during the oxygen reduction reaction and the migration of OH − into the DC. Chemical organic demand decreased by 73–83 % during each cycle. It was shown that Fe‐NCB and Pt had a similar coulombic efficiency (CE) of 39±7 % and 38±2 %, whereas AC had lower CE (24±5 %).