自支撑活化三维分级多孔碳阳极的制备及其在MFCs的应用

Fabrication of free-standing activated three-dimensional hierarchical porous carbon anode for MFCs

微生物燃料电池是一种可以从污水中直接回收能量的新型装置。然而,还有很多问题限制了它的广泛应用,其最大的困难在于输出功率密度低。阳极材料对于提高其功率密度和能量转换效率非常重要。本文基于生物质原料,利用化学试剂活化结合热处理,制备得到了一系列具有分级孔结构的自支撑活化三维碳基阳极。这种自支撑三维阳极具有优异的导电性、良好的电化学活性、出色的传质扩散以及优良的微生物相容性。其中,6mol/L KOH溶液处理得到的三维阳极具有最优的电化学活性和最佳功率输出,其最大功率密度高达121.45W/m^3,是处理前的1.8倍。此研究为构筑高效功能三维碳基MFCs电极材料提供新思路和新方法。

Microbial fuel cells(MFCs)are emerging as an energy conversion device to directly harvest electricity energy from waste water. However, many issues are waiting to be tackled for its practical applications. The most important challenges include the relatively low power density. The anode material is crucial for the improvement of power density and the energy conversion efficiency of MFCs. In this study, a serial of advanced free-standing activated three-dimensional(3D) hierarchical porous carbon(HPC) anodes were obtained by chemical activation combined with annealing treatment from biomass.Due to the excellent electrical conductivity, good electrochemical activity, outstanding mass transfer and diffusion efficiency, and large biological loading, the HPC-6 anode,which was obtained with 6 mol/L KOH activation displayed the best electrochemical activity,and highest power density of 121.45 W/m^3,which was1.8-fold higher than that of pristine.This study provides new ideas and methods for the construction of advanced functional 3D MFCs carbon-based electrode materials.