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Accelerated OH(-) transport in activated carbon air cathode by modification of quaternary ammonium for microbial fuel cells
- Source :
- Environmental sciencetechnology. 48(7)
- Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- Activated carbon (AC) is a promising catalyst for the air cathode of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) because of its high performance and low cost. To increase the performance of AC air cathodes, the acceleration of OH(-) transport is one of the most important methods, but it has not been widely investigated. Here we added quaternary ammonium to ACs by in situ anchoring of a quaternary ammonium/epoxide-reacting compound (QAE) or ex situ mixing with anion exchange resins in order to modify ACs from not only the external surface but also inside the pores. In 50 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS), the in situ anchoring of QAE was a more effective way to increase the power. The highest power density of 2781 ± 36 mW/m(2), which is 10% higher than that of the control, was obtained using QAE-anchored AC cathodes. When the medium was switched to an unbuffered NaCl solution, the increase in maximum power density (885 ± 25 mW/m(2)) was in accordance with the anion exchange capacity (0.219 mmol/g). The highest power density of the anion exchange resin-mixed air cathode was 51% higher than that of the control, indicating that anion exchange is urgently needed in real wastewaters. Excess anchoring of QAE blocked both the mesopores and micropores, causing the power output to be inhibited.
- Subjects :
- Microbial fuel cell
Bioelectric Energy Sources
Inorganic chemistry
Epoxide
Buffers
Catalysis
law.invention
chemistry.chemical_compound
Electricity
law
medicine
Environmental Chemistry
Ammonium
Electrodes
Power density
Ions
Ion exchange
Hydroxyl Radical
Air
General Chemistry
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Cathode
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
Solutions
chemistry
Charcoal
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Porosity
Activated carbon
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15205851
- Volume :
- 48
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Environmental sciencetechnology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....91380e9b0c7f6b3ef19b2a4d1d447032