A portable photocatalytic fuel cell based on TiO2 nanorod photoanode for wastewater treatment and efficient electricity generation

Abstract

A portable photocatalytic fuel cell (P-PFC) has been proposed in the present study, which has a simple structure and high performance. The photoanode of the P-PFC was composed of F-doped tin oxide (FTO)/TiO2 seed layer/TiO2 nanorods, and this nanostructure could expand the absorption range of the solar light. The cathode was a silver paste that was printed on a waterproof and breathable layer. It could effectively absorb oxygen from the air and avoid adding additional oxygen supply equipment. Two electrodes were encapsulated in a hot-melt film to form a small package with a quick-release port. This packaging model enabled a fuel replacement, and this P-PFC was universal to all types of fuels. When 1 mol/L methanol was used as fuel, the photocurrent could reach 2.8 mA/cm2 under a UV light of 30 mW/cm2, and the power density was 0.49 mW/cm2. When the power density of the simulated solar light was as low as 2 mW/cm2, the system could still work normally. The degradation performance of the P-PFC was also evaluated, and its maximum degradation efficiency for methylene blue (MB) reached 74.3%. The results indicated that the P-PFC had great potential in simultaneously degrading organic pollutants and generating electricity.