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A 3D porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube sponge anode modified with polypyrrole and carboxymethyl cellulose for high-performance microbial fuel cells

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Abstract

Enhancing anode performance is a critical step to improving the power output and energy storage of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this study, MFCs containing pseudocapacitive anode materials, such as polypyrrole-carboxymethyl cellulose (PPy-CMC) composite films, were used to coat the nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (N-CNT)/sponge (S) for use in MFCs. The capacitive anode could function as a bioanode, store electrons generated from the microbial oxidation of a substrate, and release the accumulated charge as needed. Scanning electron microscopy results indicated that the composite anode had a three-dimensional macroporous structure with a large specific surface area, providing more sites for microbial attachment and growth. Experimental results showed that MFCs equipped with PPy-CMC/N-CNT/S capacitive bioanodes had a maximum power density of 4.88 W m−3, which was 1.34 and 1.71 times as much as those of PPy/N-CNT/S and N-CNT/S bioanodes (3.65 and 2.85 W m−3), respectively. Moreover, the charge–discharge time of 60–90 min, the total charge Qm of the MFC equipped with the PPy-CMC/N-CNT/S anode was the largest (5154.08 mC cm−2)—5.7 times higher than that of the N-CNT/S anode. The excellent performance of the MFC equipped with the PPy-CMC/N-CNT/S anode was attributable to the composite materials, which exhibited a large-pore structure, good biocompatibility, large capacitance, and high specific surface area. Therefore, this synthesized composite exhibited potential as a capacitive and biocompatible anode material in MFCs.

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Acknowledgements

The project was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (21878060 and 21476053), Research Fund of State Key Laboratory for Marine Corrosion and Protection of Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute under the contract No. 6142901180401, Special plan for young Reserve Talents of Harbin University of Commerce (2019CX30), Research Project Fund of Harbin University of Commerce (2019DS082).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 15001, Heilongjiang, China

    Yuyang Wang, Xu Pan, Ye Chen, Qing Wen, Wei Li, Haitao Xu & Lijuan Qi

  2. College of Light Industry, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, 15001, Heilongjiang, China

    Yuyang Wang

  3. State Key Laboratory for Marine Corrosin and Protection, Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute (LSMRI), Qingdao, 266237, China

    Yuyang Wang, Qing Wen, Cunguo Lin & Jiyong Zheng

  4. College of Power and Energy Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 15001, Heilongjiang, China

    Yuyang Wang

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  1. Yuyang Wang
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Correspondence to Ye Chen or Qing Wen.

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Wang, Y., Pan, X., Chen, Y. et al. A 3D porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube sponge anode modified with polypyrrole and carboxymethyl cellulose for high-performance microbial fuel cells. J Appl Electrochem 50, 1281–1290 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-020-01488-z

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