Nanostructured Layer Based on Intrinsically Conductive Polymers for Optimising Carbon Electrodes’ Surface: Electrospray and Ultrasonic Spray Coating

Abstract

In this work, we focused on Electrospray (ES) and Ultrasonic Spray Coating (USC) as two promising and innovative fabrication techniques for the optimisation of carbon electrode surfaces to be employed in Bio-Electrochemical Systems. We performed, on commercial carbon paper electrodes, controlled depositions of a nanostructured layer containing PEO and PEDOT:PSS. We then employed electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to characterise the morphology and superficial uniformity of the so-obtained electrodes. Together with electrochemical characterisations and experiments in bio-electrochemical devices, we demonstrated how ES and USC represent promising techniques for the optimisation of carbon electrodes’ surfaces, obtained with the deposition of a conductive nanostructured layer.

Keywords

• microbial fuel cells
• microbial electrolysis cells
• surface decoration
• electrospray
• ultrasonic spray coating