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Novel Strontium/Iron Bimetallic Carbon Composites as Synergistic Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Microbial Fuel Cells

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Abstract

It is critical to develop non-noble metal (NNM) electrocatalysts with excellent stability and innovative activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which is a promising energy conversion technology. Herein, the preparation of iron carbide electrocatalysts (SrCO3/Fe3C) by the pyrolysis of a bimetal precursor (Sr and Fe) is proposed as a feasible strategy to realize a highly active electrocatalyst for ORR. Based on the catalytic potential of Sr-based materials, Fe species doping can provide more beneficial active sites for ORR. Concisely, the SrCO3/Fe3C(1:12) catalyst achieves the onset potential of 0.197 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) superior than Pt/C catalyst (0.193 V vs. Ag/AgCl) and the half-wave potential of −0.157 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 0.1-M KOH solution. Furthermore, the electrocatalyst exhibits nearly four-electron pathway, and generates less than 3% H2O2. Compared with Pt/C catalyst, it possesses preferable stability and superior methanol tolerance. Moreover, a composite electrode with SrCO3/Fe3C(1:12) as a catalyst on the carbon cloth demonstrated a superb air cathode in MFCs with a power density of 398.98 mW m−2, which can outperform than 10 wt% Pt/C catalysts (342.13 mW m−2) on MFCs.

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Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (nos. 51208122, 51778156, 51708142, 51708143), Pearl River S&T Nova Program of Guangzhou (201806010191), Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou (no. 201707010256), and Guangzhou University’s Training Program of Innovation Ability for Postgraduates (2020GDJC-M07).

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  1. Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of Pearl River Delta, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Henghui You, Huihui Shi, Samuel Raj Babu Arulmani, Han Li, Yan Wang, Yi Dai, Lei Huang, Fei Guo, Hongguo Zhang, Jia Yan, Tangfu Xiao & Minhua Su

  2. CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, People’s Republic of China

    Kengqiang Zhong

  3. Guangzhou University-Linköping University Research Center On Urban Sustainable Development, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Hongguo Zhang & Minhua Su

  4. Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, 60174, Norrköping, Sweden

    Xianjie Liu

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  1. Henghui You
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You, H., Shi, H., Arulmani, S.R.B. et al. Novel Strontium/Iron Bimetallic Carbon Composites as Synergistic Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Microbial Fuel Cells. Electrocatalysis 12, 759–770 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-021-00679-2

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