Synthesis of Silicon Carbide-Derived Carbon as an Electrode of a Microbial Fuel Cell and an Adsorbent of Aqueous Cr(VI)

Micron-sized nonporous silicon carbide (SiC) powder of the spent heating elements of a graphite furnace were used as the common precursor of two different forms of carbide-derived carbon (CDC) synthesized by chlorination at different temperatures: (1) graphitic and (2) amorphous SiCDCs. Whereas the former material having high electro-conductivity was used as an efficient electrode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC), the latter material having high specific surface area was used as an efficient adsorbent for aqueous hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). The MFCs generated a significantly high maximum power density of similar to 1570 +/- 30 mW/m(2) and open circuit potential of similar to 460 +/- 5 mV. The adsorbents exhibited a significantly large adsorption capacity of similar to 95 +/- 5 mg/g. This study has developed for the first time two types of Si-CDCs having different physicochemical characteristics, from the common SiC precursor via the facile route of different temperature conditions, for bioelectricity generation and environmental remediation applications.