Yuan Haoran

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nanostructured Manganese Oxide as Cathodic Catalyst in a Microbial Fuel Cell Fed with Leachate

Much effort has been devoted to the synthesis of novel nanostructured MnO2 materials because of their unique properties and potential applications as cathode catalyst in Microbial fuel cell. Hybrid MnO2 nanostructures were fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method in this study. Their crystal structures, morphology, and electrochemical characters were carried out by FESEM, N2-adsorption-desorption, and CV, indicating that the hydrothermally synthesized MnO2 (HSM) was structured by nanorods of high aspect ratio and multivalve nanoflowers and more positive than the naturally synthesized MnO2 (NSM), accompanied by a noticeable increase in oxygen reduction peak current. When the HSM was employed as the cathode catalyst in air-cathode MFC which fed with leachate, a maximum power density of 119.07 mW/m2 was delivered, 64.68% higher than that with the NSM as cathode catalyst. Furthermore, the HSM via a 4-e pathway, but the NSM via a 2-e pathway in alkaline solution, and as 4-e pathway is a more efficient oxygen reduction reaction, the HSM was more positive than NSM. Our study provides useful information on facile preparation of cost-effective cathodic catalyst in air-cathode MFC for wastewater treatment.

Thermodynamic and Experimental Study on Alcohol Made by Synthesis Gas

First C<inf>1</inf>–C<inf>5</inf> alcohols which were very important in practical application were analyzed, and the thermodynamic analysis for the synthesis of C<inf>1</inf>–C<inf>5</inf> alcohols can guide the experiment in praxis. In the article the equilibrium constants were used to analyze the thermodynamic of the synthesis of C<inf>1</inf>–C<inf>5</inf> alcohols and verified the calculation results in line with the trends of theoretical analysis. Reducing temperature and raising the pressure is useful for CO conversion rate and the generation of C1–C5 alcohols, as well as different molar ratio of H<inf>2</inf>/CO influence CO conversion rate. Eventually the optimum condition was confirmed. A new type of catalyst was developed, which can increase the yield of alcohols, then the theoretical analysiss correctness are verified by the experimental data.