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Waterproof Breathable Membrane Used as Gas Diffusion Layer in Activated Carbon Air Cathode Microbial Fuel Cells
Author(s) -
Fu Z.,
Li K.,
Pu L.,
Ge B.,
Chen Z.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
fuel cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.485
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1615-6854
pISSN - 1615-6846
DOI - 10.1002/fuce.201500071
Subject(s) - cathode , materials science , limiting current , chemical engineering , porosity , electrochemistry , microbial fuel cell , gaseous diffusion , diffusion , layer (electronics) , current density , power density , composite material , electrode , chemistry , fuel cells , anode , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , thermodynamics
One of the main limiting factors for scaling up microbial fuel cells (MFCs) technology is to develop low‐cost and high‐efficiency cathode. A new and simplified approach was developed by using a commercial waterproof breathable membrane (WBM) as gas diffusion layer (GDL) material as substitution for conventional polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) GDL. Air‐cathode with the WBM pasted (AC‐P) onto the stainless steel mesh (SSM) achieved a maximum power density of 611 ± 10 mWm −2 , which was similar to that using a PTFE GDL by rolling method (645 ± 12 mWm −2 , AC‐R). Physical and electrochemical techniques were employed to investigate the morphology and electrochemical characteristics of the cathode. The result demonstrated that AC‐P had a higher current density and internal resistance than AC‐R. Besides, the WBM had a higher porosity and uniform texture. The study showed that the WBM was a kind of good GDL material for easy preparation, low cost and stable performance of cathode construction.