Cobalt Oxides-Sheathed Cobalt Nano flakes to Improve
Surface Properties of Carbonaceous Electrodes Utilized in
Microbial Fuel Cells
Hend Omar Mohamed1, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem3, 2, M. Obaid1, 2 , Su-Hyeong Chae5
Mira Park4**, Hak Yong Kim4, 5* and Nasser A. M. Barakat2, 4***
1Bionanosystem Engineering Department, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Republic of
South Korea
2Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
3Department of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Sharjah, PO Box 27272,
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
4Department of Organic materials and Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756,
Republic of Korea
5Advanced Materials Institute for BIN Convergence, Department of BIN Convergence Technology,
Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756, Republic of Korea
Corresponding authors:
*Hak Yong Kim; Tel.: +82 632702351; Fax: +82 632704249. E-mail addresses: [email protected]
** Mira Park; Fax: +82 632704249. E-mail addresses: [email protected]
*** Nasser A. M. Barakat; Tel.: +82 632702351; Fax: +82 632704249.
E-mail addresses: [email protected]
Fig. S1: Schematic diagram of the utilized air type MFC
Fig.S2: XRD analysis for different investigated anode materials after cobalt deposition
A
B
Fig.S3: A) XPS analysis for CP anode after cobalt deposition
B) XPS analysis for CC anode after cobalt deposition
C) XPS analysis for G anode after cobalt deposition
C
Table S1: Curve-Fitted XPS Binding Energies of the treated anodes
Element percent CCT CPT GT ACT
C1s 30.26 40.22 35.90 51.4
O1s 32.67 31.06 28.24 21.1
Co 2S 11.61 10.40 15.47 9.1
CoO 2P 3/2 19.95 15.25 17.67 15.91
Cl2 p3 5.51 3.07 2.72 2.49
O1s/C1s 1.079 0.772 0.786 0.390
C1s/ Co2S 2.60 3.867 2.32 5.64
C1s / CoO 2P 3/2 1.51 2.63 2.03 3.23
Co 2S /CoO 2P3/2 0.581 0.681 0.875 0.571
A
Fig.S4: EDX mapping for the modified anodes; (A) CP, (B) CC, and (C) G after cobalt
deposition.
C
B
Fig.S5: HR-TEM for and treated anodes; (A) CP and (B) CC
A B
A B
C D
F
E
Fig.S6: Nyquist plots for the untreated and treated anodes; (A & B) EIS analysis for CP anode before and after cobalt deposition (C & D) EIS analysis for CC anode before and after cobalt deposition (E & F) EIS analysis for G anode before and after cobalt deposition (G & H) EIS analysis for AC anode before and after cobalt deposition
Table S2: Summary of the electrochemical measurements for different anode modification materials.
AnodeAnode Potential (V) OCV (V)
Time (h)From To From To
Carbon cloth
Untreated 0.212 -0.198 0.488 0.788 80
Treated 0.198 -0.239 0.515 0.839 55
Carbon paper
Untreated 0.221 -0.105 0.491 0.743 65
Treated 0.233 -0.221 0.472 0.811 58
Activated carbon
Untreated 0.379 -0.268 0.381 0.838 110
Treated 0.308 -0.285 0.344 0.859 85
GraphiteUntreated 0.378 -0.179 0.258 0.853 140
Treated 0.308 -0.239 0.279 0.867 80
G H
Fig.S7: Scanning electron microscope images of the treated and untreated investigated
anodes before and after using in the MFC.
Table S3: Electrochemical measurements for the MFCs worked by the treated and untreated anodes.
AnodeCurrent density Power density
mWm-2 Increase (%) mWm-2 Increase (%)Carbon
clothUntreated 296
20878.4
103Treated 912 159
Carbon paper
Untreated 196.4332
56.3137
Treated 850 133
Activated carbon
Untreated 171553.6
33771
Treated 2624 576.9
GraphiteUntreated 452
280173.3
173Treated 1718 473.4
Table S4: Comparison between the increase performance in the power generation and
current density in the study and some recent reports.
Types of MFCMicroorganism
mediaAnode types
Modification method
Improvement in performance
Refs.Increase
current (%)
Increase
Power (%)
Microbial electrolysiscell
(MEC)
Shewanella oneidensis MR
Graphite disk
Surface coating Pd nanoparticle
50–150 ------ [1]
Single chamber air cathode
MFC
Mixed-culture anaerobic
granular sludge
Carbon paper
Surface coating Carbon
nanotube-------- 20 [2]
Mediator MFCPreacclimated bacteria from
an active MFC
Graphite felt
Surface coating treatment
Electrochemical oxidation
39.5 ------- [3]
Mediator MFC Shewanella oneidensis MR
Glassy carbon
Surface coating Carbon
nanotube82 ---- [4]
Two chamber MFC
Escherichia coli Carbon paper
Surface coating Pt decorated
carbonnanotube
-------- 6 [5]
Microbial electrolysiscell
Shewanella oneidensis MR-
Graphite disk
Surface coating Au nanoparticle
20 ------ [1]
(MEC). 1Single chamber
air cathode MFC
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
(Baker’s yeast)
Carbon paper
Surface coating cobalt sputtering
------ 56 [6]
Single chamber air cathode
MFC
Food waste water
Carbon paper
Surface coating cobalt nano
particles electro deposition
332 137this
study
Single chamber air cathode
MFC
Food waste water
Carbon cloth
Surface coating cobalt nano
particles electro deposition
208 103 this study
Single chamber air cathode
MFCFoo waste water
Activated carbon
Surface coating cobalt nano
particles electro deposition
53.6 71 this study
Single chamber air cathode
MFCFoo waste water
Graphite sheet
Surface coating cobalt nano
particles electro deposition
280 173 this study
Fig. S8: Internal resistance for MFC system based on anode material before and after
electro deposition treatment (A) CC, (B) CP, (C) G, and (D) AC anodes.
Fig. S.9: (A) COD and (B) Colum efficiency for MFCs based on the treated and untreated
anode materials.
BA
A
C D
B
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