Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell
High-performance and cost-efficient electrocatalysts and electrodes are needed to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) generation in electrolysers, including microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). In this study, free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF)...
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2024-11-01
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| author | Gerard Pérez-Pi Jorge Luque-Rueda Pau Bosch-Jimenez Eduard Borràs Camps Sandra Martínez-Crespiera |
| author_facet | Gerard Pérez-Pi Jorge Luque-Rueda Pau Bosch-Jimenez Eduard Borràs Camps Sandra Martínez-Crespiera |
| author_sort | Gerard Pérez-Pi |
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| description | High-performance and cost-efficient electrocatalysts and electrodes are needed to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) generation in electrolysers, including microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). In this study, free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF) films with supported cobalt phosphide nanoparticles have been prepared by means of an up-scalable electrospinning process followed by a thermal treatment under controlled conditions. The produced cobalt phosphide-supported CNF films show to be nanoporous (pore volume up to 0.33 cm<sup>3</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>) with a high surface area (up to 502 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>) and with a suitable catalyst mass loading (up to 0.49 mg cm<sup>−2</sup>). Values of overpotential less than 140 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> have been reached for the HER in alkaline media (1 M KOH), which demonstrates a high activity. The high electrical conductivity together with the mechanical stability of the free-standing CNF films allowed their direct use as cathodes in a MEC reactor, resulting in an exceptionally low voltage operation (0.75 V) with a current density demand of 5.4 A m<sup>−2</sup>. This enabled the production of H<sub>2</sub> with an energy consumption below 30 kWh kg<sup>−1</sup> H<sub>2</sub>, which is highly efficient. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-521403a6e5644621acf63e135aba7eaf |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj-art-521403a6e5644621acf63e135aba7eaf2024-11-26T18:16:35ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912024-11-011422184910.3390/nano14221849Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis CellGerard Pérez-Pi0Jorge Luque-Rueda1Pau Bosch-Jimenez2Eduard Borràs Camps3Sandra Martínez-Crespiera4Applied Chemistry and Materials Department, Leitat Technological Centre, C/Innovació, 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainCircular Economy & Decarbonization Department, Leitat Technological Centre, C/Innovació, 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainCircular Economy & Decarbonization Department, Leitat Technological Centre, C/Innovació, 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainCircular Economy & Decarbonization Department, Leitat Technological Centre, C/Innovació, 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainApplied Chemistry and Materials Department, Leitat Technological Centre, C/Innovació, 2, 08225 Terrassa, SpainHigh-performance and cost-efficient electrocatalysts and electrodes are needed to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) generation in electrolysers, including microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). In this study, free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF) films with supported cobalt phosphide nanoparticles have been prepared by means of an up-scalable electrospinning process followed by a thermal treatment under controlled conditions. The produced cobalt phosphide-supported CNF films show to be nanoporous (pore volume up to 0.33 cm<sup>3</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>) with a high surface area (up to 502 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>) and with a suitable catalyst mass loading (up to 0.49 mg cm<sup>−2</sup>). Values of overpotential less than 140 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> have been reached for the HER in alkaline media (1 M KOH), which demonstrates a high activity. The high electrical conductivity together with the mechanical stability of the free-standing CNF films allowed their direct use as cathodes in a MEC reactor, resulting in an exceptionally low voltage operation (0.75 V) with a current density demand of 5.4 A m<sup>−2</sup>. This enabled the production of H<sub>2</sub> with an energy consumption below 30 kWh kg<sup>−1</sup> H<sub>2</sub>, which is highly efficient.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/22/1849electrospinningelectrocatalystcobalt phosphidecarbon nanofiber (CNF)nanoparticlesfree-standing films |
| spellingShingle | Gerard Pérez-Pi Jorge Luque-Rueda Pau Bosch-Jimenez Eduard Borràs Camps Sandra Martínez-Crespiera Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell Nanomaterials electrospinning electrocatalyst cobalt phosphide carbon nanofiber (CNF) nanoparticles free-standing films |
| title | Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_full | Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_fullStr | Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_full_unstemmed | Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_short | Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell |
| title_sort | free standing carbon nanofiber films with supported cobalt phosphide nanoparticles as cathodes for hydrogen evolution reaction in a microbial electrolysis cell |
| topic | electrospinning electrocatalyst cobalt phosphide carbon nanofiber (CNF) nanoparticles free-standing films |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/22/1849 |
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