Porous graphitic carbon from mangosteen peel as efficient electrocatalyst in microbial fuel cells

In this study, a low-cost and efficient strategy to synthesize nitrogen self-doped porous graphitic carbon was proposed by using mangosteen peel as both the carbon and nitrogen source, combined with molten KOH activation and Co2+ catalytic graphitization. The mangosteen peel carbon catalyst prepared at 800 °C (referred to as MPC-800) possessed a large specific surface area (1168 m2/g), appropriate porous structure, high graphitization degree, and high pyridinic and graphitic nitrogen content. Further, electrochemical measurements indicated that the MPC-800 catalyst showed good oxygen reduction reaction activity. Moreover, MPC-800 as cathode catalyst displays an onset potential of 0.150 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and half-wave potential of −0.091 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in neutral medium, which is more positive than commercial Pt/C (0.121 V and −0.113 V, respectively). The maximum power density of microbial fuel cells using MPC-800 was 240 mW/m2, which was slightly superior to that of the Pt/C cathode (220 mW/m2). This work proposed a novel method, based on the low cost and wide availability of waste mangosteen peel, to synthesize an excellent oxygen reduction reaction catalyst for microbial fuel cells. [Display omitted] •Cost-effective synthesis of nitrogen self-doped porous graphitic biomass carbon•Realize the combination of MP, KOH activation, and Co2+ catalytic graphitization•MPC-800 has great surface area, pore size distribution, and graphitization degree•Superior MPD in MFCs and highest COD removal and CE in wastewater treatment•High-performance ORR catalyst shows great potential for application in MFCs