Application of electrospun CNx nanofibers as cathode in microfluidic fuel cell
We would like to thank Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and Toyo University for using our NANON-01B for electric field spinning of nanofibers in their joint research.
We would like to thank them for providing us with the paper.
Carbon nitride (CNx) nanofibers is successfully utilised as cathode catalyst in microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) using electrospinning technique.
The electrochemical measurement for CNx nanofibers as cathode catalyst in MFC is studied and compared with that of Pt and Au cathodes.
Formic acid is employed as fuel, KMnO4 as oxidant and H2SO4 as supporting electrolyte. CNx nanofibers is shown to be not active towards
formic acid oxidation and as a result, is tolerant to fuel crossover effect as compared to Pt and Au cathode.
CNx nanofibers enable MFC to operate at a wider range of flow rates of fuel and oxidant as compared to Pt and Au conventionally used.
MFC utilising CNx nanofibers gives higher power density of 3.43 mW cm—2 and the current density of 9.79 mAcm—2,
as compared to that utilizes pure Au (2.72 mW cm—2, 6.04 mA cm—2) and Pt (3.09 mW cm—2, 6.18 mA cm—2) as anode.