Vladimir Neburchilov

Electricity generation from carbon monoxide in a single chamber microbial fuel cell.

Electricity production from carbon monoxide (CO) is demonstrated in a single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a CoTMPP-based air cathode. The MFC was inoculated with anaerobic sludge and continuously sparged with CO as a sole carbon source. Volumetric power output was maximized at a CO flow rate of 4.8LLR(-1)d(-1) reaching 6.4mWLR(-1). Several soluble and gaseous degradation products including hydrogen, methane, and acetate were detected, resulting in a relatively low apparent Coulombic efficiency of 8.7%. Tests also demonstrated electricity production from hydrogen and acetate with the highest and fastest increase in voltage exhibited after acetate injection. It is hypothesized that electricity generation in a CO-fed MFC is accomplished by a consortium of carboxydotrophic and carbon monoxide - tolerant anodophilic microorganisms.

Ta and Nb co-doped TiO2 and its carbon-hybrid materials for supporting Pt–Pd alloy electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cell oxygen reduction reaction

To explore possible substitutes for carbon supports in PEM fuel cell catalysts, both Ta and Nb co-doped TiO2 (TaNbTiO2) and carbon–TaNbTiO2 (C–TaNbTiO2) hybrid support materials are successfully synthesized by a modified thermal hydrolysis method. These materials are employed as support candidates for Pt–Pd alloy catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Among several supported catalysts, 20 wt% Pt0.62Pd0.38/C75wt%–(Ta0.01Nb0.03Ti0.96O2)25wt% is found to have an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mass activity of 260 mA mgPt−1 and an ORR loss of 30%, which are slightly better than those of the commercially available Pt/C baseline catalyst which has a mass activity of 110 mA mgPt−1 and an ORR loss of 40% probably because of a strong physicochemical interaction among the Pt–Pd alloy catalyst particle, carbon–TaNbTiO2 support and carbon, as well as the stability of oxide to protect carbon from corrosion by the distribution of oxide onto carbon, respectively.