Premium
Composite‐modified anode by MnO 2 /polypyrrole in marine benthic microbial fuel cells and its electrochemical performance
Author(s) -
Chen Wei,
Liu Zhaohui,
Su Ge,
Fu Yubin,
Zai Xuerong,
Zhou Changyang,
Wang Jian
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.3674
Subject(s) - anode , cyclic voltammetry , composite number , materials science , microbial fuel cell , polypyrrole , chemical engineering , electrode , electrochemistry , linear sweep voltammetry , scanning electron microscope , composite material , polymerization , chemistry , polymer , engineering
Summary Low power limits the application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Our research mainly focuses on the modification of the electrode and looking for new anode material for high‐power marine benthic microbial fuel cells(BMFCs). A MnO 2 /PPy composite‐modified anode was fabricated by in situ chemical polymerization. Surface topography and properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy, respectively, indicating that the MnO 2 /PPy composite is of a ‘mosaic‐like’ microstructure. The electrochemical performance and wettability of different kinds of anode were investigated respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry tests show that MnO 2 /PPy composite‐modified electrode has a typical capacitance feature; its capacitance is 3.1 times higher than that of unmodified electrode. Contact angle of the composite‐modified anode reduces to 46 ± 0.5°, and its kinetic activity increased for more than 1.1 times. The maximum output power density of MnO 2 /PPy composite‐modified cell reached 562.7 ± 10 mW m −2 , which is 2.1‐fold of the unmodified one. Finally, the composite‐modified anode provides an alternative potential choice for high‐performance cell, and the possible influence mechanism of composite materials on the BMFCs was also analyzed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.