Co(0.85)Se/Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composite as Alternative Cathode Catalyst for Microbial Fuel Cells.

The development of low-cost and high-performance cathode catalyst remains a great challenge for constructing large-scale microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Here, the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) supported cobalt selenide (Co0.85Se) composite was synthesized by a simple and effective hydrothermal process for the first time. Compared with uncomposited electrodes such as MWCNTs and Co0.85Se, the as-prepared Co0.85Se/MWCNT composite electrode exhibited significantly improved electrochemical performance and durability. The maximum power density of Co0.85Se/MWCNT composite electrode is 243.6 mW m–2, which is 12.2 fold higher than that of unmodified electrode and more than twice as much as those observed for MWCNTs cathode (114.1 mW m–2) and Co0.85Se cathode (119.8 mW m–2). This work may provide not only the fundamental studies on carbon supported transition-metal selenide but also a new kind of promising alternative electrode in the technology of power generation from MFCs.