Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Reduced Graphene Oxide/SnO2 Nanocomposite for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Microbial Fuel Cells

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• 作者：Nadia Garino ; Adriano Sacco ; Micaela Castellino ; José Alejandro Muñoz-Tabares ; Angelica Chiodoni ; Valeria Agostino ; Valentina Margaria ; Matteo Gerosa ; Giulia Massaglia ; Marzia Quaglio
• 刊名：ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：February 24, 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：8
• 期：7
• 页码：4633-4643
• 全文大小：593K
• ISSN：1944-8252

文摘

We report on an easy, fast, eco-friendly, and reliable method for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide/SnO₂ nanocomposite as cathode material for application in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The material was prepared starting from graphene oxide that has been reduced to graphene during the hydrothermal synthesis of the nanocomposite, carried out in a microwave system. Structural and morphological characterizations evidenced the formation of nanocomposite sheets, with SnO₂ crystals of few nanometers integrated in the graphene matrix. Physico-chemical analysis revealed the formation of SnO₂ nanoparticles, as well as the functionalization of the graphene by the presence of nitrogen atoms. Electrochemical characterizations put in evidence the ability of such composite to exploit a cocatalysis mechanism for the oxygen reduction reaction, provided by the presence of both SnO₂ and nitrogen. In addition, the novel composite catalyst was successfully employed as cathode in seawater-based MFCs, giving electrical performances comparable to those of reference devices employing Pt as catalyst.