Abstract
The electrochemical performances of cathode play a key role in the marine sediment microbial fuel cells (MSMFCs) as a long lasting power source to drive instruments, especially when the dissolved oxygen concentration is very low in seawater. A CTS-Fe3+ modified cathode is prepared here by grafting chitosan (CTS) on a carbon fiber surface and then chelating Fe3+ through the coordination process. The electrochemical performance in seawater and the output power of the assembled MSMFCs are both studied. The results show that the exchange current densities of CTS and the CTS-Fe3+ group are 5.5 and 6.2 times higher than that of the blank group, respectively. The potential of the CTS-Fe3+ modified cathode increases by 138 mV. The output power of the fuel cell (613.0 mW m−2) assembled with CTS-Fe3+ is 54 times larger than that of the blank group (11.4 mW m−2) and the current output corresponding with the maximum power output also increases by 56 times. Due to the valence conversion between Fe3+ and Fe2+ on the modified cathode, the kinetic activity of the dissolved oxygen reduction is accelerated and the depolarization capability of the cathode is enhanced, resulting higher cell power. On the basis of this study, the new cathode materials will be encouraged to design with the complex of iron ion in natural seawater as the catalysis for oxygen reduction to improve the cell power in deep sea.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Asghar, A., Raman, A. A. A., Daud, W. M. A. W., Ahmad, M., and Zain, S. U. B. M., 2017. Effect of nitrogen doping on graphite cathode for hydrogen peroxide production and power generation in MFC. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, 76: 89–100, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2017.04.016.
Asim, A. Y., Mohamad, N. M. I., and Susana, R. C., 2020. Development and modification of materials to build cost-effective anodes for microbial fuel cells (MFCs): An overview. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 164: 107779, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2020.107779.
Babauta, J. T., Hsu, L., Atci, E., Kagan, J., Chadwick, B., and Beyenal, H., 2014. Multiple cathodic reaction mechanism in seawater cathodic biofilms operating in sediment microbial fuel cell. ChemSusChem, 7 (10): 2898–2906, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201402377.
Cavalcanti, I. T., Silva, B. V. M., Peres, N. G., Moura, P., Sotomayor, M. D. P. T., Guedes, M. I. F., et al., 2012. A disposable chitosan modified carbon fiber electrode for dengue virus envelope protein detection. Talanta, 91: 41–46, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2012.01.002.
Chen, W., Liu, Z. H., Su, G., Fu, Y. B., Zai, X. R., Zhou, C. Y., et al., 2017. Composite-modified anode by MnO2/polypyrrole in marine benthic microbial fuel cells and its electrochemical performance. International Journal of Energy Research, 41 (6): 845–853, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/er.3674.
Cheng, L., Reimers, C. E., and Alleau, Y., 2020. Inducing the attachment of the cable bacteria on oxidizing electrodes. Biogeosciences Discussions, 17 (3): 597–207, DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-597-2020.
Ewing, T., Ha, P. T., and Beyenal, H., 2017. Evaluation of long-term performance of sediment microbial fuel cells and the role of natural resources. Applied Energy, 192: 490–497, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.08.177.
Fu, Y. B., Liu, Y. Y., Xu, Q., Lu, Z. K., and Zhang, Y. L., 2014. Comparative study of two carbon fiber cathodes and theoretical analysis in microbial fuel cells on ocean floor. Journal of Ocean University of China, 13 (2): 257–261, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-014-2162-z.
Gajda, I., Greenman, J., Santoro, C., Serov, A., Melhuish, C., Atanassov, P., et al., 2018. Improved power and long term performance of microbial fuel cell with Fe-NC catalyst in air-breathing cathode. Energy, 144: 1073–1079, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2017.11.135.
Ge, J. G., Yue, P. X., Chi, J. P., Liang, J., and Gao, X. L., 2018. Formation and stability of anthocyanins-loaded nanocomplexes prepared with chitosan hydrochloride and carboxymethyl chitosan. Food Hydrocolloids, 74: 23–31, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2017.07.029.
Ghoreishi, K. B., Ghasemi, M., Rahimnejad, M., Yarmo, M. A., Daud, W. R. W., Asim, N., et al., 2014. Development and application of vanadium oxide/polyaniline composite as a novel cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cell. International Journal of Energy Research, 38 (1): 70–77, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/er.3082.
Gong, K., Du, F., Xia, Z., Durstock, M., and Dai, L., 2009. Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays with high electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction. Science, 323 (5915): 760–764, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1168049.
Huang, H., Cheng, S., Yang, J., Li, C., Sun, Y., and Cen, K., 2018. Effect of nitrate on electricity generation in single-chamber air cathode microbial fuel cells. Chemical Engineering Journal, 337: 661–670, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2017.12.150.
Jiang, Y., Zhai, Q., Guo, H., Tan, H., and Guo, S. Y., 2007. Coordination characteristics of chitosan on Zn/Fe ions and the application of the coordination compounds. Modern Food Science and Technology, 23 (9): 88–92 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Liu, A., Fu, Y. B., Zai, J. Z., Duan, Z. W., and Zai, X. R., 2019. Electrochemical and electric field response properties of highly sensitive electrodes based on carbon fiber with oxygen and nitrogen groups. IEEE Sensors Journal, 19: 3966–3974, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2019.2891905.
Liu, W., Cheng, S., Yin, L., Sun, Y., and Yu, L., 2018. Influence of soluble microbial products on the long-term stability of air cathodes in microbial fuel cells. Electrochimica Acta, 261: 557–564, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2017.12.154.
Mahmoud, M. S., Wen, B., Su, Z., Fan, S., and Zhang, Y., 2018. Parameters influencing power generation in eco-friendly microbial fuel cells. Paper and Biomaterials (PBM Microbial Fuel Cells), 3 (1): 10–16.
Ngoc, B. D., Chih-Liang, W., Li, Z., Wan, T., and Hsiharng, Y., 2019. Development of a facile and low-cost chitosan modified carbon cloth for efficient self-pumping enzymatic biofuel cells. Journal of Power Sources, 429: 111–119, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.05.001.
Son, E. B., Poo, K. M., Mohamed, H. O., Choi, Y. J., Cho, W. C., and Chae, K. J., 2018. A novel approach to developing a reusable marine macroalgae adsorbent with chitosan and ferric oxide for simultaneous efficient heavy metal removal and easy magnetic separation. Bioresource Technology, 259: 381–387, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.03.077.
Song, X., Liu, J., Jiang, Q., Qu, Y., He, W., Logan, B., et al., 2018. Enhanced electricity generation and effective water filtration using graphene-based membrane air-cathodes in microbial fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources, 395: 221–227, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.05.043.
Tender, L., Gray, S., Groveman, E., Lowy, D., Kauffman, P., Melhado, J., et al., 2008. The first demonstration of a microbial fuel cell as a viable power supply: Powering a meterological buoy. Journal of Power Sources, 179 (2): 571–575, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.12.123.
Wang, B., Zhang, H., Yang, Y. G., and Xu, M. Y., 2021. Diffusion and filamentous bacteria jointly govern the spatiotemporal process of sulfide removal in sediment microbial fuel cells. Chemical Engineering Journal, 405: 126680, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.126680.
Wu, S., He, W., Yang, W., Ye, Y., Huang, X., and Logan, B., 2017. Combined carbon mesh and small graphite fiber brush anodes to enhance and stabilize power generation in microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater. Journal of Power Sources, 356: 348–355, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.01.041.
Yang, H., Gong, L., Wang, H., Dong, C., Wang, J., Qi, K., et al., 2020. Preparation of nickel-iron hydroxides by microorganism corrosion for efficient oxygen evolution. Nature Communication, 11 (1): 5075–5083, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18891-x.
Yang, J., RyeolKim, H., HyunLee, J., UkLee, H., and WookKim, S., 2021. Electrochemical properties of enzyme electrode covalently immobilized on graphite oxide/cobalt hydroxide/chitosan composite mediator for biofuel cells. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 46 (4): 3251–3258, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.03.084.
Yang, R. J., Su, H., Qu, S. L., and Wang, X. C., 2017. Capacity of humic substances to complex with iron at different salinities in the Yangtze River Estuary and East China Sea. Scientific Reports, 7 (1): 1381–1390, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01533-6.
Zhang, H. S., Fu, Y. B., Zhou, C. Y., Liu, S., Zhao, M. G., Chen, T. L., et al., 2018. A novel anode modified by 1, 5-dihydroxyanthraquinone/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composite in marine sediment microbial fuel cell and its electrochemical performance. International Journal of Energy Research, 42 (7): 2574–2582, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/er.4034.
Zhang, J., Chen, N., Tang, Z., Yu, Y., Hu, Q., and Feng, C., 2015. A study of the mechanism of fluoride adsorption from aqueous solutions onto Fe-impregnated chitosan. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17 (18): 12041–12050, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c5cp00817d.
Zhao, Q., Ji, M., Li, R., and Ren, Z., 2017. Long-term performance of sediment microbial fuel cells with multiple anodes. Bioresource Technology, 237: 178–185, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.03.002.
Zhou, C. Y., Fu, Y. B., Zhang, H. S., Chen, W., Liu, Z., Liu, Z. H., et al., 2018 Structure design and performance comparison of large-scale marine sediment microbial fuel cells in lab and real sea as power source to drive monitoring instruments for long-term work. Ionics, 24: 797–805, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-017-2251-2.
Zhou, X., Xu, Y., Mei, X., Du, N., Ju, R., Hu, Z., et al., 2018. Polyaniline/β-MnO2 nanocomposites as cathode electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells. Chemosphere, 198: 482–491, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.01.058.
Acknowledgement
This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22075262).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zai, X., Guo, M., Huang, X. et al. Influence of Cathode Modification by Chitosan and Fe3+ on the Electrochemical Performance of Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell. J. Ocean Univ. China 22, 709–716 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-023-5343-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-023-5343-9