Polyaniline/β-MnO nanocomposites as cathode electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells.

An efficient and inexpensive catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), polyaniline (PANI) and β-MnO nanocomposites (PANI/β-MnO), was developed for air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The PANI/β-MnO, β-MnO, PANI and β-MnO mixture modified graphite felt electrodes were fabricated as air-cathodes in double-chambered MFCs and their cell performances were compared. At a dosage of 6 mg cm, the maximum power densities of MFCs with PANI/β-MnO, β-MnO, PANI and β-MnO mixture cathodes reached 248, 183 and 204 mW m, respectively, while the cathode resistances were 38.