Engineering Electrode Surfaces Using Electroactive Bacteria Pyrolysis

Abstract

Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen 1 . This high-temperature process has been shown to produce carbon structures from photoresist since the 1990s. Using this technique, the photoresist is thermally reacted at high temperatures of 600 to 1100°C, forming a film with electrochemically active surfaces, providing glassy carbon-like properties. It has been demonstrated that better electrocatalytic behavior is obtained with carbon films prepared at the higher pyrolysis temperatures due to a differences in composition 1 . Additionally, pyrolysis has also been widely demonstrated for biowaste and various biomaterials. It is shown to be versatile, user-friendly, and has the potential for enhancement 1-3 . In this work, Shewanella Oneidensis bacterial biofilms are shown to provide conductive surfaces with properties that depend on the pyrolysis temperature in the range of 600 to 1100°C. The pyrolysis was carried out in a closed ceramic tube furnace under a 200mTorr vacuum at a heating rate of 5°C/ min. The pyrolysis process was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis and the resulting films were characterized by SEM, 4-point probe, Raman Spectroscopy, as well as by electrochemical characterization. This approach leverages the unique capabilities of S. oneidensis in metal ion reduction and nanoparticle biosynthesis, potentially allowing for the incorporation of catalytic nanoparticles within the electrode structure. The flexibility and distinctive properties of these biofilm-derived electrodes open up new possibilities for electrochemical CO 2 reduction and broader energy research applications, potentially contributing to the development of more efficient and selective catalytic systems for CO 2 utilization in a circular carbon economy. (1) Kim, J.; Song, X.; Kinoshita, K.; Madou, M.; White, R. Electrochemical Studies of Carbon Films from Pyrolyzed Photoresist. J. Electrochem. Soc. 1998 , 145 (7), 2314–2319. (2) Mohan, D.; Pittman, C. U.; Steele, P. H. Pyrolysis of Wood/Biomass for Bio-Oil: A Critical Review. Energy Fuels 2006 , 20 (3), 848–889. (3) Wang, G.; Dai, Y.; Yang, H.; Xiong, Q.; Wang, K.; Zhou, J.; Li, Y.; Wang, S. A Review of Recent Advances in Biomass Pyrolysis. Energy Fuels 2020 , 34 (12), 15557–15578.

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Identifiers

DOI

10.1149/ma2025-01482490mtgabs

Journal

ECS Meeting Abstracts

Year

2025