Carbon Nanofiber-skinned Three Dimensional Ni/Carbon Micropillars: High Performance Electrodes of a Microbial Fuel Cell

- N-enriched Ni/carbon 3D micropillars fabricated on carbon film by laser-ablation.
- CNF-skinned micropillar-embedded film used as efficient electrodes of a MFC.
- High OCP (∼0.75 V) and maximum power density (∼2496 mW/m2) produced.
- 3D structure increased biofilm formation and microbial interaction with electrode.

Nickel (Ni) nanoparticle (NP)-doped carbon film (∼1 mm thick) was prepared by the carbonization and activation of the phenol-melamine precursor-based polymeric film. The polymeric film was in situ dispersed with the Ni NPs during the polymerization step. Melamine served as the source of nitrogen (N) in the material. Three dimensional (3D) micropillars were fabricated on both sides of the carbon film, using laser-ablation technique. Decorated with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) using chemical vapor deposition technique, the N-enriched Ni/carbon micropillar-embedded carbon film was used as the electrode of a double chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC). The MFC generated a high open circuit potential (∼0.75 V) and maximum power density (∼2496 mW/m2). The maximum power density of such MFCs was approximately ten times greater than that generated using the pristine carbon film-based electrodes. The high performance of the electrodes prepared in this study is attributed to the synergetic effects of the graphitic CNFs, electrocatalytic N and Ni NPs, and 3D microstructure providing support to biofilm.

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