Two‐Dimensional Ag−Fe−N/C Nanosheets as Efficient Cathode Catalyst to Improve Power‐Generation Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells

Abstract

Abstract Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are expected to alleviate the energy crisis and environmental pollution. However, both the slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics and the formation of biofilm on the cathode prevent the efficient operation of MFC. Herein, zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF)‐derived Ag−Fe−N/C catalysts with good electrocatalytic activity are developed by a synthetic strategy of chemisorption, calcination, and photo‐deposition. The optimal Ag−Fe−N/C‐2 has a half‐wave potential (E 1/2 ) of 0.87 V vs. RHE in 0.1 M KOH. The MFC assembled as a cathode exhibits excellent power generation with a maximum power density of 523±7 mW m −2 and long‐term stability, which is better than commercial Pt/C. In addition, the Ag−Fe−N/C‐2 catalyst has the antibacterial ability, which affects the microbial community structure on the cathode biofilm. The results indicate that Ag−Fe−N/C as a bifunctional cathode catalyst with excellent electrocatalytic and antibacterial activity is beneficial to the efficient and long‐term stable operation of MFC.

Key findings

• ▸The Ag-Fe-N/C-2 catalyst exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.87 V vs. RHE in 0.1 M KOH.
• ▸The MFC assembled with the Ag-Fe-N/C-2 catalyst achieves a maximum power density of 523±7 mW m⁻², outperforming commercial Pt/C.
• ▸The Ag-Fe-N/C-2 catalyst demonstrates antibacterial ability, affecting the microbial community structure on the cathode biofilm.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.1002/celc.202101699

Journal

ChemElectroChem

Year

2022