• 文献标题:   Nitrogen-doped graphene/CoNi alloy encased within bamboo-like carbon nanotube hybrids as cathode catalysts in microbial fuel cells
  • 文献类型:   Article
  • 作  者:   HOU Y, YUAN HY, WEN ZH, CUI SM, GUO XR, HE Z, CHEN JH
  • 作者关键词:   graphene, bamboolike carbon nanotube, defect structure, oxygen reduction reaction, microbial fuel cell
  • 出版物名称:   JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
  • ISSN:   0378-7753 EI 1873-2755
  • 通讯作者地址:   Univ Wisconsin
  • 被引频次:   56
  • DOI:   10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.01.018
  • 出版年:   2016

▎ 摘  要

Cost-effective catalysts are of key importance to the successful deployment of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for electricity generation from organic wastes. Herein, a novel catalyst prepared by one-step synthesis strategy is reported. The catalyst features N-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotube (BCNT) in which CoNi-alloy is encapsulated at the end and/or the middle section of the tube with many graphene layers inside inner cavities of BCNT (N-G@CoNi/BCNT). The prepared N-G@CoNi/BCNT exhibits a high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with an early onset potential of 0.06 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a comparable exchange current density to that of commercial Pt/C. The excellent catalytic activity is further evidenced by a high electron transfer number of 3.63. When being applied in MFCs, the N-G@CoNi/BCNT yields an average current density of 6.7 A m(-2), slightly lower than that of Pt/C but with a less mass transfer potential loss. The cost of the N-G@CoNi/BCNT for constructing a 1-m(2) cathode electrode is 200 times lower than that of Pt/C. With such a competitive price and excellent electrocatalytic-activity resulting from its unique morphology, CoNi-alloy/nitrogen dopants, considerable specific surface area, and carbon-coated alloy/graphene hybridization, the present catalyst is a promising candidate for ORR catalysts in MFCs for energy recovery from wastes. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.