{"id":{"repo_id":"uconn-diss","oai_identifier":"oai:digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu:gs_theses-1043"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uconn-diss/oai:digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu:gs_theses-1043","repository":{"repo_id":"uconn-diss","name":"University of Connecticut","base_url":"https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"MANGANESE OXIDE AS A NEW CATHODE CATALYST IN MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS (MFCs)","abstract":"This study focused on manganese oxides with a cryptomelane-type octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2) structure to replace platinum as a cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Undoped (ud-OSM-2) and three catalysts doped with cobalt (Co-OMS-2), copper (Cu-OMS-2), and cerium (Ce-OMS-2) to enhance their catalytic performances were investigated. The novel OMS-2 cathodes were examined in granular activated carbon anode based single-chamber MFC (SCMFC) with sodium acetate as the anode reagent and oxygen in air as the cathode reagent. The results showed that after 400 hours of operation, the Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 exhibited good catalytic performance in an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The voltage of the Co-OMS-2 SCMFC was 217 mV, and the power density was 180±12 mW/m2. The voltage of the Cu-OMS-2 GACMFC was 214 mV and the power density was 165±11 mW/m2. The internal resistance (Rin) of the OMS-2 SCMFCs (18±1 ohm) was similar to that of the platinum SCMFCs (18±1 ohm). Furthermore, the degradation rates of organic substrates in the OMS-2 SCMFCs were twice those in the platinum SCMFCs, which enhance their wastewater treatment efficiencies. Power generation and organic substrate removal efficiency of Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 were also compared with Pt cathodes in continuous-flow SCMFCs under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and chemical oxygen demands (CODs). The 600-hr continuous-flow tests showed that Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs achieved the stable power generation of 200±8 mV and 190±5 mV, and were 50-60 mV higher than that of Pt SCMFCs. The COD removal efficiencies of Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs were 83-87%, which were 15-19% high than that of Pt SCMFCs. The power generation and COD removal efficiency increased with longer HRTs. The Cu-OMS-2 exhibited the highest power density (201 mW/m2) at the COD of 1000 mg/L. However, Co-OMS-2 cathodes had the better performance than Cu-OMS-2 at high COD concentrations of 2000-4000 mg/L, with the power density of 897 mW/m2 and COD removal efficiency of 46%. This study indicated that using OMS-2 manganese oxides to replace platinum as a cathodic catalyst enhances power generation, increases contaminant removal, substantially reduces the cost of MFCs, and has a great potential to be applied in real-world wastewater treatment processes.","abstract_html":"This study focused on manganese oxides with a cryptomelane-type octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2) structure to replace platinum as a cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Undoped (ud-OSM-2) and three catalysts doped with cobalt (Co-OMS-2), copper (Cu-OMS-2), and cerium (Ce-OMS-2) to enhance their catalytic performances were investigated. The novel OMS-2 cathodes were examined in granular activated carbon anode based single-chamber MFC (SCMFC) with sodium acetate as the anode reagent and oxygen in air as the cathode reagent. The results showed that after 400 hours of operation, the Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 exhibited good catalytic performance in an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The voltage of the Co-OMS-2 SCMFC was 217 mV, and the power density was 180±12 mW/m2. The voltage of the Cu-OMS-2 GACMFC was 214 mV and the power density was 165±11 mW/m2. The internal resistance (Rin) of the OMS-2 SCMFCs (18±1 ohm) was similar to that of the platinum SCMFCs (18±1 ohm). Furthermore, the degradation rates of organic substrates in the OMS-2 SCMFCs were twice those in the platinum SCMFCs, which enhance their wastewater treatment efficiencies. Power generation and organic substrate removal efficiency of Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 were also compared with Pt cathodes in continuous-flow SCMFCs under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and chemical oxygen demands (CODs). The 600-hr continuous-flow tests showed that Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs achieved the stable power generation of 200±8 mV and 190±5 mV, and were 50-60 mV higher than that of Pt SCMFCs. The COD removal efficiencies of Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs were 83-87%, which were 15-19% high than that of Pt SCMFCs. The power generation and COD removal efficiency increased with longer HRTs. The Cu-OMS-2 exhibited the highest power density (201 mW/m2) at the COD of 1000 mg/L. However, Co-OMS-2 cathodes had the better performance than Cu-OMS-2 at high COD concentrations of 2000-4000 mg/L, with the power density of 897 mW/m2 and COD removal efficiency of 46%. This study indicated that using OMS-2 manganese oxides to replace platinum as a cathodic catalyst enhances power generation, increases contaminant removal, substantially reduces the cost of MFCs, and has a great potential to be applied in real-world wastewater treatment processes.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Li, Xiang"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Environmental Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Steven Suib; Alexander Agrios","Baikun Li"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-20T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-01-20T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:31:35Z","subjects":["Microbial fuel cells","manganese dioxides","octahedral molecular sieves","cathodic catalyst","continuous flow","operation condition effect"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/gs_theses/39","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Steven Suib; Alexander Agrios","Baikun Li"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Li, Xiang"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-01-20T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Environmental Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Microbial fuel cells","manganese dioxides","octahedral molecular sieves","cathodic catalyst","continuous flow","operation condition effect"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/gs_theses/39"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study focused on manganese oxides with a cryptomelane-type octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2) structure to replace platinum as a cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Undoped (ud-OSM-2) and three catalysts doped with cobalt (Co-OMS-2), copper (Cu-OMS-2), and cerium (Ce-OMS-2) to enhance their catalytic performances were investigated. The novel OMS-2 cathodes were examined in granular activated carbon anode based single-chamber MFC (SCMFC) with sodium acetate as the anode reagent and oxygen in air as the cathode reagent. The results showed that after 400 hours of operation, the Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 exhibited good catalytic performance in an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The voltage of the Co-OMS-2 SCMFC was 217 mV, and the power density was 180±12 mW/m2. The voltage of the Cu-OMS-2 GACMFC was 214 mV and the power density was 165±11 mW/m2. The internal resistance (Rin) of the OMS-2 SCMFCs (18±1 ohm) was similar to that of the platinum SCMFCs (18±1 ohm). Furthermore, the degradation rates of organic substrates in the OMS-2 SCMFCs were twice those in the platinum SCMFCs, which enhance their wastewater treatment efficiencies. Power generation and organic substrate removal efficiency of Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 were also compared with Pt cathodes in continuous-flow SCMFCs under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and chemical oxygen demands (CODs). The 600-hr continuous-flow tests showed that Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs achieved the stable power generation of 200±8 mV and 190±5 mV, and were 50-60 mV higher than that of Pt SCMFCs. The COD removal efficiencies of Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs were 83-87%, which were 15-19% high than that of Pt SCMFCs. The power generation and COD removal efficiency increased with longer HRTs. The Cu-OMS-2 exhibited the highest power density (201 mW/m2) at the COD of 1000 mg/L. However, Co-OMS-2 cathodes had the better performance than Cu-OMS-2 at high COD concentrations of 2000-4000 mg/L, with the power density of 897 mW/m2 and COD removal efficiency of 46%. This study indicated that using OMS-2 manganese oxides to replace platinum as a cathodic catalyst enhances power generation, increases contaminant removal, substantially reduces the cost of MFCs, and has a great potential to be applied in real-world wastewater treatment processes."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["MANGANESE OXIDE AS A NEW CATHODE CATALYST IN MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS (MFCs)"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Steven Suib; Alexander Agrios","Baikun Li"],"dc:creator":["Li, Xiang"],"dc:date.available":["2011-01-20T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study focused on manganese oxides with a cryptomelane-type octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2) structure to replace platinum as a cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Undoped (ud-OSM-2) and three catalysts doped with cobalt (Co-OMS-2), copper (Cu-OMS-2), and cerium (Ce-OMS-2) to enhance their catalytic performances were investigated. The novel OMS-2 cathodes were examined in granular activated carbon anode based single-chamber MFC (SCMFC) with sodium acetate as the anode reagent and oxygen in air as the cathode reagent. The results showed that after 400 hours of operation, the Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 exhibited good catalytic performance in an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The voltage of the Co-OMS-2 SCMFC was 217 mV, and the power density was 180±12 mW/m2. The voltage of the Cu-OMS-2 GACMFC was 214 mV and the power density was 165±11 mW/m2. The internal resistance (Rin) of the OMS-2 SCMFCs (18±1 ohm) was similar to that of the platinum SCMFCs (18±1 ohm). Furthermore, the degradation rates of organic substrates in the OMS-2 SCMFCs were twice those in the platinum SCMFCs, which enhance their wastewater treatment efficiencies. Power generation and organic substrate removal efficiency of Co-OMS-2 and Cu-OMS-2 were also compared with Pt cathodes in continuous-flow SCMFCs under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and chemical oxygen demands (CODs). The 600-hr continuous-flow tests showed that Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs achieved the stable power generation of 200±8 mV and 190±5 mV, and were 50-60 mV higher than that of Pt SCMFCs. The COD removal efficiencies of Cu-OMS-2 SCMFCs and Co-OMS-2 SCMFCs were 83-87%, which were 15-19% high than that of Pt SCMFCs. The power generation and COD removal efficiency increased with longer HRTs. The Cu-OMS-2 exhibited the highest power density (201 mW/m2) at the COD of 1000 mg/L. However, Co-OMS-2 cathodes had the better performance than Cu-OMS-2 at high COD concentrations of 2000-4000 mg/L, with the power density of 897 mW/m2 and COD removal efficiency of 46%. This study indicated that using OMS-2 manganese oxides to replace platinum as a cathodic catalyst enhances power generation, increases contaminant removal, substantially reduces the cost of MFCs, and has a great potential to be applied in real-world wastewater treatment processes."],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/gs_theses/39"],"dc:subject":["Microbial fuel cells","manganese dioxides","octahedral molecular sieves","cathodic catalyst","continuous flow","operation condition effect"],"dc:title":["MANGANESE OXIDE AS A NEW CATHODE CATALYST IN MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS (MFCs)"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Environmental Engineering"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:31:35Z"}