CuSe decorated carbon nanotubes as a high performance cathode catalyst for microbial fuel cells

Abstract

The development of low cost and efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts for future renewable energy systems is still highly desired. The neutral conditions in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) create a need for neutral-stable ORR catalysts. A novel hybrid of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated with copper selenide nanoparticles (CuSe NPs) was successfully prepared through a facile one-step hydrothermal process. The different mass ratios (CuSe:CNTs) of CuSe@CNTs were fabricated to investigate their ORR activity. Notably, the as-prepared CuSe@CNTs (1:1) catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced ORR activity compare to the individual CNTs and CuSe in neutral electrolyte. Moreover, higher power density of 425.9±5mWm−2 was achieved when the CuSe@CNTs (1:1) served as cathode material in MFCs, which ups to about 1.90 and 1.65 times than that of the CNTs (244.0±4mWm−2) and CuSe (258.8±6mWm−2), respectively. Such cost-effective CuSe@CNTs with high ORR performance may be a potential ORR catalyst candidate for MFCs.