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Hydrogen production with polyaniline/multi‐walled carbon nanotube cathode catalysts in microbial electrolysis cells
Author(s) -
Yang Qian,
Jiang Yangyue,
Xu Yuan,
Qiu Yu,
Chen Yingwen,
Zhu Shemin,
Shen Shubao
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.4425
Subject(s) - hydrogen production , cathode , polyaniline , materials science , chemical engineering , electrolysis , faraday efficiency , catalysis , carbon nanotube , hydrogen , electrolysis of water , nanotechnology , electrochemistry , composite material , chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , electrolyte , polymerization , polymer , engineering
BACKGROUND Microbial electrolysis cells ( MECs ) have been considered a promising approach for hydrogen production from renewable biomass. The optimization of the cathode catalyst is important in the study of MECs . Based on the hydrogen production rate (Q) and the chemical oxygen demand ( COD ) removal as the evaluation standards, this research focused on the use of the polyaniline ( PANI )/multi‐walled carbon nanotube ( MWCNT ) composites as the cathode catalysts to replace platinum (Pt) in a single‐chamber membrane‐free MEC . RESULTS Scanning electron microscopy ( SEM ) and linear sweep voltammograms ( LSV ) were used to evaluate the morphology and electrocatalytic activity of the cathodes. At an applied voltage of 1.0 V, the MEC with 75% wt PANI / MWCNTs cathodes achieved a hydrogen production rate of 1.04 m 3 m −3 d −1 at a current density of 163 A m −3 , a coulombic efficiency of 47.2%, a cathodic hydrogen recovery of 56.7%, a COD removal of 88%, and an electrical energy efficiency based on an electricity input of 89%, which was comparable with that of a Pt/C cathode. CONCLUSIONS The PANI / MWCNTs cathodes developed achieved a performance comparable with that of the Pt/C cathode in terms of the hydrogen production rate. The PANI / MWCNTs composites used as cathodic catalysts to replace Pt/C substantially reduced the cost of the MECs . © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry