Bamboo-like nitrogen-doped carbon supported chlorine-doped Fe2P as an antibacterial oxygen reduction catalyst

Abstract

Bio-inspiration and biomimetics offer guidance for designing and synthesizing advanced catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Herein, a chlorine-doped Fe₂P supported by nitrogen-doped carbon (Cl-Fe₂P/NC) catalyst was designed and prepared based on imitating the bamboo structure. The electronegative chlorine captured the electron transfer from Fe₂P and transferred it to NC through carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The antibacterial chlorine inhibited the cathode biofilm formation to enhance the ion transport. Cl-Fe₂P/NC achieved a half-wave potential of 0.91 V and an onset potential of 0.99 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. After 500 h of reaction, the MFCs assembled by the Cl-Fe₂P/NC cathode achieved a maximum power density of 1505 mW m⁻². This work provides insights into the design of advanced materials through bio-inspiration and biomimicry.