Abstract
In this communication, we discuss the electro-oxidation of the fermentation products formate and ethanol at platinum black modified electrodes under microbial fuel cell conditions, i.e., at neutral pH, room temperature, and in microbial culture solutions. The electrocatalytic oxidation was studied using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and potentiostatic coulometry. Current densities up to 6 mA cm−2 at 0.2 V oxidation potential and 97% coulombic efficiency were observed for the electro-oxidation of 100 mM solutions of formate in pH 7 buffer solution. Electrode deactivation could be successfully prevented using an oxidative potential reactivation procedure. Polymer coating, however, fully stopped the formate oxidation. As expected, the electro-oxidation of ethanol was less efficient—with a limiting current density being 600 μA cm−2.
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Acknowledgements
U. S. gratefully acknowledges the support by the US Office of Naval Research, (ONR project N00014-03-1-0431) and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). U. S. and M. R. acknowledge the support by the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie.
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Dedicated to Professor Dr. Alan M. Bond on the occasion of this 60th birthday.
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Rosenbaum, M., Schröder, U. & Scholz, F. Investigation of the electrocatalytic oxidation of formate and ethanol at platinum black under microbial fuel cell conditions. J Solid State Electrochem 10, 872–878 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-006-0167-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-006-0167-2