Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1289595 Journal of Power Sources 2011 4 Pages PDF
Abstract

Polyaniline/carbon black (PANI/C) composite-supported iron phthalocyanine (FePc) (PANI/C/FePc) has been investigated as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an air–cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC). The electrocatalytic activity of the PANI/C/FePc toward the ORR is evaluated using cyclic voltammogram and linear scan voltammogram methods. In comparison with that of carbon-supported FePc electrode, the peak potential of the ORR at the PANI/C/FePc electrode shifts toward positive potential, and the peak current is greatly increased, suggesting the enhanced activity of FePc absorbed onto PANI/C. Additionally, the results of the MFC experiments show that PANI/C/FePc is well suitable to be the cathode material for MFCs. The maximum power density of 630.5 mW m−2 with the PANI/C/FePc cathode is higher than that of 336.6 mW m−2 with the C/FePc cathode, and even higher that that of 575.6 mW m−2 with a Pt cathode. Meanwhile, the power per cost of the PANI/C/FePc cathode is 7.5 times greater than that of the Pt cathode. Thus, the PANI/C/FePc can be a potential alternative to Pt in MFCs.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemistry Electrochemistry
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