Polyaniline/carbon black composite-supported iron phthalocyanine as an oxygen reduction catalyst for microbial fuel cells

Polyaniline/carbon black (PABI/C) composite-supported iron phtalocyanine (FePc) (PANI/C/FePc) has been investigated as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an air-cathode microbial fuel voltammorgram and linear scan voltammogram methods. In comparison with that of carbon-supported Fepc electrode, the peak pontential of the ORR at the PANI/C/FePc electrode shifts toward positive potential, and the peak current is greatly increased, suggesting the enhanced activity of FePc absorbed onto PANI/C. Additionally, the results of the MFC experiments show that PANI/C/FePc is well suitable to be the cathode material for MFCs. The maximum power density of 630.5mWm(-2) with the PANI/C/FePc cathode is higher than that of 336.6mWm(-2) with the C/FePc cathode, and even higher that that of 575.6mWm(-2) with a Pt cathode. Meanwhile, the power per cost of the PANI/C/FePc cathode id 7.5 times greater than that of the Pt cathode. Thus, the PANI/C/FePc can be a potential alternative to Pt in MFCs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.