Carbon Nanotube/Pt Cathode Nanocomposite Electrode in Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment and Bioenergy Production

Mostafa Ghasemi, Mehdi Sedighi and Yie Hua Tan
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Mostafa Ghasemi: Chemical Engineering Section, Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar 311, Oman
Mehdi Sedighi: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Qom, Qom 3716146611, Iran
Yie Hua Tan: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-13

Abstract: In this paper, we reported the fabrication, characterization, and application of carbon nanotube (CNT)-platinum nanocomposite as a novel generation of cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production and wastewater treatment. The efficiency of the carbon nanocomposites was compared by platinum (Pt), which is the most effective and common cathode catalyst. This nanocomposite is utilized to benefit from the catalytic properties of CNTs and reduce the amount of required Pt, as it is an expensive catalyst. The CNT/Pt nanocomposites were synthesized via a chemical reduction technique and the electrodes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, electronic dispersive X-Ray analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposites were applied as cathode catalysts in the MFC to obtain polarization curve and coulombic efficiency (CE) results. The catalytic properties of electrodes were tested by linear sweep voltammetry. The CNT/Pt at the concentration of 0.3 mg/cm 2 had the highest performance in terms of CE (47.16%), internal resistance (551 ?), COD removal (88.9%), and power generation (143 mW/m 2 ). In contrast, for the electrode with 0.5 mg/L of Pt catalyst, CE, internal resistance, COD removal, and power generation were 19%, 810 ?, 96%, and 84.1 mW/m 2 , respectively. So, it has been found that carbon nanocomposite cathode electrodes had better performance for sustainable clean energy production and COD removal by MFC.

Keywords: carbon nanotube; coulombic efficiency; microbial fuel cell; nanocomposite; Pt (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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