Enhanced bioelectricity output of microbial fuel cells via electrospinning zeolitic imidazolate framework-67/polyacrylonitrile carbon nanofiber cathode

In this study, the zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) and electrospinning polyacrylonitrile membrane were combined to prepare electrospinning carbon nanofibers composite cathode (ZIF-67/CNFs) which could enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) cathode. The optimum electrode 3 wt% ZIF-67/CNFs revealed the excellent ORR performance with a half-wave potential of -0.03 V vs. Ag/AgCl, which was more positive than Pt/C-CC (-0.09 V vs. Ag/AgCl). The highest output voltage (607 +/- 9 mV) and maximum power density (1.191 +/- 0.017 W m-2) were obtained when the prepared ZIF-67/CNFs electrode was applied to the cathode of MFC (ZIF-67/CNFs-MFC). In addition, ZIF-67/CNFs-MFC showed the best pollutant removal effect. Geobacter was the highest proportion of microbial in ZIF-67/CNFs-MFC. The results have shown that the application of ZIF-67/CNFs electrode to MFC cathode is promising.

Automated summary

The combination of ZIF-67 and electrospinning polyacrylonitrile membrane to create ZIF-67/CNFs composite cathodes showed excellent ORR performance in MFCs, with high output voltage and maximum power density. Additionally, it exhibited great pollutant removal efficiency, making it a promising choice for MFC cathodes.