Architectural design of hierarchically meso–macroporous carbon for microbial fuel cell anodes. Issue 33 (16th March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Mengmeng; Zhou, Minghua; Ma, Liang; Yang, Huijia; Zhao, Yingying
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 6:Issue 33(2016)
• Page Start: 27993
• Page End: 27998
• Publication Date: 2016-03-16
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ra26420k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : The HN-C exhibited a high power density (1034 mW m −2 ), which was much higher than the macroporous carbon anode MFC (811 mW m −2 ) and mesoporous carbon anode MFC (678 mW m −2 ) and was 2.2-folds that of carbon cloth anode MFC (467 mW m −2 ). Abstract : Larger surface area and porous structure are crucial factors for MFC anode performance. In this study, we demonstrate a dual-templating strategy for design of 3D hierarchically nanostructured carbon (HN-C) with well-patterned macropores ( ca., 400 nm) and ordered mesopores ( ca., 4 nm) decorating the carbon cloth as an anode for high power density. The HN-C exhibited higher power density (1034 mW m −2 ) and COD removal efficiency (92.1%) compared with the macroporous carbon anode MFC, mesoporous carbon anode MFC and carbon cloth anode MFC. The excellent performance of HN-C anode MFC was attributed to the combination of mesopores and macropores, providing both the macropores for the bacteria to clog on and a large specific surface area for facilitating fast substrate and electron transfer to enhance the bioelectrochemical performance. This architectural design of porous carbon materials might open up a promising anode fabrication method to improve MFC performance.