Accepted_acsnano.2c05512_MT.pdf (4.52 MB)
Graphene as thinnest coating on copper electrodes in microbial methanol fuel cells
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-10, 05:47 authored by Jamil Islam, Parthiba Karthikeyan Obulisamy, Venkata KK Upadhyayula, Alan DaltonAlan Dalton, Pulickel M Ajayan, Muhammad M Rahman, Manoj TripathiManoj Tripathi, Rajesh Kumar Sani, Venkataramana GadhamshettyDehydrogenation of methanol (CH3OH) into direct current (DC) in fuel cells can be a potential energy conversion technology. However, their development is currently hampered by the high cost of electrocatalysts based on platinum and palladium, slow kinetics, the formation of carbon monoxide intermediates, and the requirement for high temperatures. Here, we report the use of graphene layers (GL) for generating DC electricity from microbially driven methanol dehydrogenation on underlying copper (Cu) surfaces. Genetically tractable Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 (Rsp), a nonarchetypical methylotroph, was used for dehydrogenating methanol at the GL-Cu surfaces. We use electrochemical methods, microscopy, and spectroscopy methods to assess the effects of GL on methanol dehydrogenation by Rsp cells. The GL-Cu offers a 5-fold higher power density and 4-fold higher current density compared to bare Cu. The GL lowers charge transfer resistance to methanol dehydrogenation by 4 orders of magnitude by mitigating issues related to pitting corrosion of underlying Cu surfaces. The presented approach for catalyst-free methanol dehydrogenation on copper electrodes can improve the overall sustainability of fuel cell technologies.
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Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
ACS NanoISSN
1936-0851Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)External DOI
Department affiliated with
- Physics and Astronomy Publications
Notes
This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in ACS Nano, copyright © XXXX American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.2c05512.Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2023-01-04First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2022-12-21Usage metrics
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