Metal-doped (Fe-Mn) heteroatom-rich porous biochar-based poison-resilient cathode catalyst for enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell

Gorakhanath S. Jadhav; Arun Kumar Mehta; Makarand M. Ghangrekar; Gourav D. Bhowmick

doi:10.1016/j.seta.2025.104208

Metal-doped (Fe-Mn) heteroatom-rich porous biochar-based poison-resilient cathode catalyst for enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell

Gorakhanath S. Jadhav, Arun Kumar Mehta, Makarand M. Ghangrekar, Gourav D. Bhowmick

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Developing cost-effective and superior catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is paramount for successfully commercializing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a sustainable, reliable and economical alternative for energy recovery and wastewater treatment. In this investigation, metal-doped heteroatom (Nitrogen-Sulphur-Carbon) rich porous biochar (Metal-NSC) was synthesized by incorporating different metal and bi-metal dopants into activated human hair (HH) biochar. Out of which, the synthesized Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst has a porous structure that enables it to have a high specific surface area (615.04 m²/g), a large pore volume (0.4342 cm³/g), and numerous defects (I_D/I_G = 1.02). The Fe/Mn-NSC demonstrates exceptional performance in the ORR, and the performance of MFC using Fe/Mn-NSC as a cathode catalyst stands out with a higher power density (14.6 ± 0.6 W/m³), which was 1.74 and 1.14 times compared to only HH biochar (NSC) (8.4 ± 0.1 W/m³) and commercial Pt/C (12.8 ± 0.3 W/m³), respectively. Thus, the Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst exhibits promising potential to harvest more power per unit cost (64.69 mW/$) and superior alternative to commercial Pt/C catalyst (3.11 mW/$) for widespread deployment for practical applications in MFCs.

Original language	English
Article number	104208
Journal	Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments
Volume	75
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2025.104208
State	Published - 1 Mar 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Cathode catalyst
Heteroatom doped biochar
Microbial fuel cell
Oxygen reduction reaction
Wastewater treatment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Energy Engineering and Power Technology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.seta.2025.104208

Cite this

@article{98f41c2e7cd440d299a88946747739ed,

title = "Metal-doped (Fe-Mn) heteroatom-rich porous biochar-based poison-resilient cathode catalyst for enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell",

abstract = "Developing cost-effective and superior catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is paramount for successfully commercializing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a sustainable, reliable and economical alternative for energy recovery and wastewater treatment. In this investigation, metal-doped heteroatom (Nitrogen-Sulphur-Carbon) rich porous biochar (Metal-NSC) was synthesized by incorporating different metal and bi-metal dopants into activated human hair (HH) biochar. Out of which, the synthesized Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst has a porous structure that enables it to have a high specific surface area (615.04 m2/g), a large pore volume (0.4342 cm3/g), and numerous defects (ID/IG = 1.02). The Fe/Mn-NSC demonstrates exceptional performance in the ORR, and the performance of MFC using Fe/Mn-NSC as a cathode catalyst stands out with a higher power density (14.6 ± 0.6 W/m3), which was 1.74 and 1.14 times compared to only HH biochar (NSC) (8.4 ± 0.1 W/m3) and commercial Pt/C (12.8 ± 0.3 W/m3), respectively. Thus, the Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst exhibits promising potential to harvest more power per unit cost (64.69 mW/\$) and superior alternative to commercial Pt/C catalyst (3.11 mW/\$) for widespread deployment for practical applications in MFCs.",

keywords = "Cathode catalyst, Heteroatom doped biochar, Microbial fuel cell, Oxygen reduction reaction, Wastewater treatment",

author = "Jadhav, \{Gorakhanath S.\} and Mehta, \{Arun Kumar\} and Ghangrekar, \{Makarand M.\} and Bhowmick, \{Gourav D.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

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doi = "10.1016/j.seta.2025.104208",

language = "English",

volume = "75",

journal = "Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments",

issn = "2213-1388",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Metal-doped (Fe-Mn) heteroatom-rich porous biochar-based poison-resilient cathode catalyst for enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell

AU - Jadhav, Gorakhanath S.

AU - Mehta, Arun Kumar

AU - Ghangrekar, Makarand M.

AU - Bhowmick, Gourav D.

PY - 2025/3/1

Y1 - 2025/3/1

N2 - Developing cost-effective and superior catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is paramount for successfully commercializing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a sustainable, reliable and economical alternative for energy recovery and wastewater treatment. In this investigation, metal-doped heteroatom (Nitrogen-Sulphur-Carbon) rich porous biochar (Metal-NSC) was synthesized by incorporating different metal and bi-metal dopants into activated human hair (HH) biochar. Out of which, the synthesized Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst has a porous structure that enables it to have a high specific surface area (615.04 m2/g), a large pore volume (0.4342 cm3/g), and numerous defects (ID/IG = 1.02). The Fe/Mn-NSC demonstrates exceptional performance in the ORR, and the performance of MFC using Fe/Mn-NSC as a cathode catalyst stands out with a higher power density (14.6 ± 0.6 W/m3), which was 1.74 and 1.14 times compared to only HH biochar (NSC) (8.4 ± 0.1 W/m3) and commercial Pt/C (12.8 ± 0.3 W/m3), respectively. Thus, the Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst exhibits promising potential to harvest more power per unit cost (64.69 mW/$) and superior alternative to commercial Pt/C catalyst (3.11 mW/$) for widespread deployment for practical applications in MFCs.

AB - Developing cost-effective and superior catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is paramount for successfully commercializing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a sustainable, reliable and economical alternative for energy recovery and wastewater treatment. In this investigation, metal-doped heteroatom (Nitrogen-Sulphur-Carbon) rich porous biochar (Metal-NSC) was synthesized by incorporating different metal and bi-metal dopants into activated human hair (HH) biochar. Out of which, the synthesized Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst has a porous structure that enables it to have a high specific surface area (615.04 m2/g), a large pore volume (0.4342 cm3/g), and numerous defects (ID/IG = 1.02). The Fe/Mn-NSC demonstrates exceptional performance in the ORR, and the performance of MFC using Fe/Mn-NSC as a cathode catalyst stands out with a higher power density (14.6 ± 0.6 W/m3), which was 1.74 and 1.14 times compared to only HH biochar (NSC) (8.4 ± 0.1 W/m3) and commercial Pt/C (12.8 ± 0.3 W/m3), respectively. Thus, the Fe/Mn-NSC catalyst exhibits promising potential to harvest more power per unit cost (64.69 mW/$) and superior alternative to commercial Pt/C catalyst (3.11 mW/$) for widespread deployment for practical applications in MFCs.

KW - Cathode catalyst

KW - Heteroatom doped biochar

KW - Microbial fuel cell

KW - Oxygen reduction reaction

KW - Wastewater treatment

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85216471168

U2 - 10.1016/j.seta.2025.104208

DO - 10.1016/j.seta.2025.104208

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85216471168

SN - 2213-1388

VL - 75

JO - Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments

JF - Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments

M1 - 104208

ER -

Metal-doped (Fe-Mn) heteroatom-rich porous biochar-based poison-resilient cathode catalyst for enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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