Synthesization of SnO2-modified carbon nanotubes and their application in microbial fuel cell

The aim of this work was to study the synthesization of SnO 2 -modified carbon nanotubes and their application in microbial fuel cell. With the chemical vapor deposition technique, carbon nanotubes growing in situ on a carbon felt are obtained. A SnO 2 sol was applied to the carbon felt to prepare a SnO 2 -modified carbon nanotubes. X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed that SnO 2 existed in the prepared samples. Using the prepared samples as anode electrodes, flexible graphite as cathode, and glucose solution as substrate in microbial fuel cell, the effects of the temperature, substrate concentration, and electrodes on removal rates for chemical oxygen demand and the performance of microbial fuel cell have been analyzed. With substrate concentration of 1500 mg L −1 , the microbial fuel cell had an optimal output voltage of 563 mV and a removal rate of 78 % for chemical oxygen demand at 311 K. The composite electrodes are stable and reusable.