Self-supporting nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide@carbon nanofiber hybrid membranes as high-performance integrated air cathodes in microbial fuel cells

The traditional air cathode in microbial fuel cell (MFC) usually consists of catalyst layer (CL), supporting (SL) and conductive gas diffusion (GDL), the overall MFC performance is inevitably affected by additional expensive adhesives agents. Here, we developed an integrated without any SL, GDL or adhesives. was self-supporting nitrogen-doped reduced graphene [email protected] nanofiber ([email protected]) hybrid membranes fabricated electrospinning with subsequent heat-treatment under ammonia atmosphere. as-fabricated possessed far superior oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity to pristine carbon nanofibers (NCNF) commercial activated (CAC). amount rGO embedded into CNF had prominent influence on their ORR activities performances. lowest resistance maximal exchange current density, exhibiting desirable via a four-electron pathway. maximum power density can reach 826 mW m?2 MFC, which approximately 9, 2.53 1.82 times NCNF, CAC Pt/C values 91, 327 454 m?2. outstanding air-cathodes originates from integrality, brevity composition electrospun membrane. appropriate not only improves bulk conductivity promote ion adsorption, but also provides vacancies accommodate ions, doped nitrogen atoms facilitate O2 adsorption and/or O–O bond breaking, thus improving electrochemical MFC.