Advanced Energy Technologies
Masoumeh Javaheri; Noushin Salman Tabrizi; Amir Rafizadeh
Abstract
Given that the catalyst and catalyst support properties have a key role to play in the electrochemical activity of fuel cells, in this research, the synergism effect of Pt and Ru nanoparticles reduced on catalyst support [synthesized Carbon Aerogel-Carbon Nanotube (CA-CNT)] was investigated. The catalyst ...
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Given that the catalyst and catalyst support properties have a key role to play in the electrochemical activity of fuel cells, in this research, the synergism effect of Pt and Ru nanoparticles reduced on catalyst support [synthesized Carbon Aerogel-Carbon Nanotube (CA-CNT)] was investigated. The catalyst support was synthesized by sol-gel method and the catalyst nanoparticles were reduced on catalyst support using impregnation and hydrothermal method. Different molar ratios of Pt:Ru (i.e., 0:1, 1:0, 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3) were applied as electrocatalysts for Methanol Oxidation Reaction (MOR). The electrochemical performance of these catalysts was compared with that of commercial Pt/C (20 % wt) for MOR. The physical properties of the synthesized catalyst support (CNT-CA) were studied using FESEM and BET techniques. Moreover, XRD and ICP analyses were employed for investigating each of the synthesized catalyst (Pt/CNT-CA and Ru/CNT-CA). The cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry methods were used to conduct electrochemical analysis. Research results indicated that synthesis methods were reliable. Moreover, CNT-CA had a proper performance as the catalyst support and the Pt:Ru with a 3:1 molar ratio was the best catalyst among all the synthesized catalysts for MOR.
Renewable Energy Resources and Technologies
Tahmineh Taheri Dezfouli; Reza Marandi; Morteza Kashefiolasl; Mozhgan Emtyazjoo; Maasomeh Javaheri
Abstract
The modern BioElectrochemical technologies can convert the energy stored in the chemical bonds of biodegradable organic materials to renewable electrical energy through the catalytic reactions of microorganisms while treating the waste waters. The present research was conducted to evaluate the efficiency ...
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The modern BioElectrochemical technologies can convert the energy stored in the chemical bonds of biodegradable organic materials to renewable electrical energy through the catalytic reactions of microorganisms while treating the waste waters. The present research was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of a single-chamber Bioelectrochemical system with the carbon aerogel catalyst, as a simple and inexpensive method, in removing the corrosive and odorous sulfur compounds from municipal wastewater simultaneously with electricity generation by using indigenous bacterial consortium. The used bacteria were isolated from local lagoon sediments, and the municipal wastewater was used as the substrate. During six months of the Bioelectrochemical cell operation, the sulfate concentration was dropped to a minimum of 63 ± 57.2 mg/l, indicating the ability of the system to remove 71.8 % of the sulfate from the municipal wastewater and the production of bioenergy. With a 304 mV Open Circulate voltage, the maximum removal of Chemical Oxygen Demand was 80 % and the maximum power density was 1.82 mW/m2. Carbon aerogel, as a novel material with suitable absorbance and resistance to oxidation at urban wastewater pH, can be, therefore, coated on electrodes to facilitate the Oxidation Reduction Reactions and electricity transmission. The existence of elemental sulfur in the sediments showed that these systems could be optimized to recover the elemental sulfur from the municipal wastewater.
