AUTHOR=Feng Huajun , Ge Zhipeng , Chen Wei , Wang Jing , Shen Dongsheng , Jia Yufeng , Qiao Hua , Ying Xianbin , Zhang Xueqin , Wang Meizhen 

TITLE=Carbonized Cow Dung as a High Performance and Low Cost Anode Material for Bioelectrochemical Systems

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2018

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02760

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2018.02760

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=We report an efficient way to convert cow dung (CD) into a high-performance anode material for bioelectrochemical systems through a heat-treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed that the CD carbonization process started at 300 °C and ended at approximately 550 °C; the weight was reduced by 51%. After a heat-treatment at 800 °C for 2 h, the treated CD featured a good conductivity and a high surface area. The maximum current density achieved for a CD anode (heated at 800 °C) was 11.74 ± 0.41 A m-2, which was approximately 2.2 times as high as that of commonly used graphite felt anodes (5.50 ± 0.10 A m−2). This study shows that a value-added anode material can be produced through conversion of CD by high-temperature carbonization. This approach provides a new way to alleviate environmental problems associated with CD.