Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells
The development of high-performance anode materials is one of the greatest challenges for the practical implementation of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology. Copper (Cu) has a much higher electrical conductivity than carbon-based materials usually used as anodes in MFCs. However, it is an unsuitab...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/11/3144 |
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| author | Fatma Bensalah Julien Pézard Naoufel Haddour Mohsen Erouel François Buret Kamel Khirouni |
| author_facet | Fatma Bensalah Julien Pézard Naoufel Haddour Mohsen Erouel François Buret Kamel Khirouni |
| author_sort | Fatma Bensalah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of high-performance anode materials is one of the greatest challenges for the practical implementation of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology. Copper (Cu) has a much higher electrical conductivity than carbon-based materials usually used as anodes in MFCs. However, it is an unsuitable anode material, in raw state, for MFC application due to its corrosion and its toxicity to microorganisms. In this paper, we report the development of a Cu anode material coated with a corrosion-resistant composite made of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) doped with carbon nanofiber (CNF). The surface modification method was optimized for improving the interfacial electron transfer of Cu anodes for use in MFCs. Characterization of CNF-PDMS composites doped at different weight ratios demonstrated that the best electrical conductivity and electrochemical properties are obtained at 8% weight ratio of CNF/PDMS mixture. Electrochemical characterization showed that the corrosion rate of Cu electrode in acidified solution decreased from (17 ± 6) × 10<sup>3</sup> μm y<sup>−1</sup> to 93 ± 23 μm y<sup>−1</sup> after CNF-PDMS coating. The performance of Cu anodes coated with different layer thicknesses of CNF-PDMS (250 µm, 500 µm, and 1000 µm), was evaluated in MFC. The highest power density of 70 ± 8 mW m<sup>−2</sup> obtained with 500 µm CNF-PDMS was about 8-times higher and more stable than that obtained through galvanic corrosion of unmodified Cu. Consequently, the followed process improves the performance of Cu anode for MFC applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:11:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-27248878392e4f08aa67deba8040e7f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:11:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-27248878392e4f08aa67deba8040e7f62023-11-23T00:43:48ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-11-011111314410.3390/nano11113144Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel CellsFatma Bensalah0Julien Pézard1Naoufel Haddour2Mohsen Erouel3François Buret4Kamel Khirouni5Laboratoire Ampère, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, FranceLaboratoire Ampère, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, FranceLaboratoire Ampère, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, FranceLaboratory of Physics of Materials and Nanomaterials Applied at Environment, Faculty of Sciences in Gabes, Gabes University, Gabes 6072, TunisiaLaboratoire Ampère, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully, FranceLaboratory of Physics of Materials and Nanomaterials Applied at Environment, Faculty of Sciences in Gabes, Gabes University, Gabes 6072, TunisiaThe development of high-performance anode materials is one of the greatest challenges for the practical implementation of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) technology. Copper (Cu) has a much higher electrical conductivity than carbon-based materials usually used as anodes in MFCs. However, it is an unsuitable anode material, in raw state, for MFC application due to its corrosion and its toxicity to microorganisms. In this paper, we report the development of a Cu anode material coated with a corrosion-resistant composite made of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) doped with carbon nanofiber (CNF). The surface modification method was optimized for improving the interfacial electron transfer of Cu anodes for use in MFCs. Characterization of CNF-PDMS composites doped at different weight ratios demonstrated that the best electrical conductivity and electrochemical properties are obtained at 8% weight ratio of CNF/PDMS mixture. Electrochemical characterization showed that the corrosion rate of Cu electrode in acidified solution decreased from (17 ± 6) × 10<sup>3</sup> μm y<sup>−1</sup> to 93 ± 23 μm y<sup>−1</sup> after CNF-PDMS coating. The performance of Cu anodes coated with different layer thicknesses of CNF-PDMS (250 µm, 500 µm, and 1000 µm), was evaluated in MFC. The highest power density of 70 ± 8 mW m<sup>−2</sup> obtained with 500 µm CNF-PDMS was about 8-times higher and more stable than that obtained through galvanic corrosion of unmodified Cu. Consequently, the followed process improves the performance of Cu anode for MFC applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/11/3144microbial fuel cellanode materialscopper electrodesCNF-PDMSsurface modificationbiofilm |
| spellingShingle | Fatma Bensalah Julien Pézard Naoufel Haddour Mohsen Erouel François Buret Kamel Khirouni Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells Nanomaterials microbial fuel cell anode materials copper electrodes CNF-PDMS surface modification biofilm |
| title | Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells |
| title_full | Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells |
| title_fullStr | Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells |
| title_short | Carbon Nano-Fiber/PDMS Composite Used as Corrosion-Resistant Coating for Copper Anodes in Microbial Fuel Cells |
| title_sort | carbon nano fiber pdms composite used as corrosion resistant coating for copper anodes in microbial fuel cells |
| topic | microbial fuel cell anode materials copper electrodes CNF-PDMS surface modification biofilm |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/11/3144 |
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