Fibrous polyaniline@manganese oxide nanocomposites as supercapacitor electrode materials and cathode catalysts for improved power production in microbial fuel cells

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP 2016-04, Vol.18 (13), p.953-96
• Main Authors: Ansari, Sajid Ali, Parveen, Nazish, Han, Thi Hiep, Ansari, Mohammad Omaish, Cho, Moo Hwan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aniline Compounds - chemistry; Bioelectric Energy Sources; Catalysis; Electrodes; Manganese Compounds - chemistry; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanocomposites - chemistry; Oxides - chemistry; X-Ray Diffraction
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/c6cp00159a

Fibrous Pani-MnO 2 nanocomposite were prepared using a one-step and scalable in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The formation, structural and morphological properties were investigated using a range of characterization techniques. The electrochemical capacitive behavior of the fibrous Pani-MnO 2 nanocomposite was examined by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements using a three-electrode experimental setup in an aqueous electrolyte. The fibrous Pani-MnO 2 nanocomposite achieved high capacitance (525 F g −1 at a current density of 2 A g −1 ) and excellent cycling stability of 76.9% after 1000 cycles at 10 A g −1 . Furthermore, the microbial fuel cell constructed with the fibrous Pani-MnO 2 cathode catalyst showed an improved power density of 0.0588 W m −2 , which was higher than that of pure Pani and carbon paper, respectively. The improved electrochemical supercapacitive performance and cathode catalyst performance in microbial fuel cells were attributed mainly to the synergistic effect of Pani and MnO 2 in fibrous Pani-MnO 2 , which provides high surface area for the electrode/electrolyte contact as well as electronic conductive channels and exhibits pseudocapacitance behavior. Fibrous Pani-MnO 2 nanocomposites were prepared using a one-step and scalable in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method.