Enhanced wettability improves catalytic activity of nickel-functionalized activated carbon cathode for hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells.
D. A. Moreno-Jimenez, Kyoung-Yeol Kim
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100% confidenceInternational MEC research in space-technology with focus on space-applications, electrode. A nickel-functionalized activated carbon (AC/Ni) was recently developed for microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and show...
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Abstract
A nickel-functionalized activated carbon (AC/Ni) was recently developed for microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and showed a great potential for large-scale applications. In this study, the electroactivity of the AC/Ni cathode was significantly improved by increasing the oxygen (16.9%) and nitrogen (124%) containing species on the AC using nitric acid oxidation. The acid-treated AC (t-AC) showed 21% enhanced wettability that consequently reduced the ohmic resistance (6.7%) and the charge transfer resistance (33.3%). As a result, t-AC/Ni achieved peak values of hydrogen production rate (0.35±0.02 L-H2/L-d), energy yield (129±8%), and cathodic hydrogen recovery (93±6%) in MECs. The hydrogen production rate was 84% higher using t-AC/Ni cathode than the control, likely due to the enhanced wettability and a higher fraction of N on the t-AC. Also, the increases in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder loadings (from 4.6 mg-PVDF/cm2 to 7.3 mg-PVDF/cm2) demonstrated 47% higher hydrogen productions rates in MECs.
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- SSRN Electronic Journal
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- 2022