A thin layer of activated carbon deposited on polyurethane cube leads to new conductive bioanode for (plant) microbial fuel cell

Autor: Matteo Cociancich, Paola Y. Constantino Diaz, Christian Snik, Rens Lisman, Cees J.N. Buisman, David P.B.T.B. Strik, Emilius Sudirjo
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Polyurethane
Control and Optimization
Materials science
Microbial fuel cell
020209 energy
Activated carbon
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
02 engineering and technology
Electrochemistry
polyurethane
microbial fuel cell
plant microbial fuel cell
activated carbon
bioanode
conductive biofilms
lcsh:Technology
law.invention
law
0202 electrical engineering
electronic engineering
information engineering
medicine
Graphite
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Engineering (miscellaneous)
WIMEK
Renewable Energy
Sustainability and the Environment
lcsh:T
Bioanode
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Cathode
Conductive biofilms
Anode
Plant microbial fuel cell
Chemical engineering
Electrode
Environmental Technology
Milieutechnologie
0210 nano-technology
Current density
Biological Recovery & Re-use Technology
Energy (miscellaneous)
medicine.drug
Zdroj: Energies, Vol 13, Iss 3, p 574 (2020)
Energies; Volume 13; Issue 3; Pages: 574
Energies 13 (2020) 3
Energies, 13(3)
ISSN: 1996-1073
Popis: Large-scale implementation of (plant) microbial fuel cells is greatly limited by high electrode costs. In this work, the potential of exploiting electrochemically active self-assembled biofilms in fabricating three-dimensional bioelectrodes for (plant) microbial fuel cells with minimum use of electrode materials was studied. Three-dimensional robust bioanodes were successfully developed with inexpensive polyurethane foams (PU) and activated carbon (AC). The PU/AC electrode bases were fabricated via a water-based sorption of AC particles on the surface of the PU cubes. The electrical current was enhanced by growth of bacteria on the PU/AC bioanode while sole current collectors produced minor current. Growth and electrochemical activity of the biofilm were shown with SEM imaging and DNA sequencing of the microbial community. The electric conductivity of the PU/AC electrode enhanced over time during bioanode development. The maximum current and power density of an acetate fed MFC reached 3 mA·m−2 projected surface area of anode compartment and 22 mW·m−3 anode compartment. The field test of the Plant-MFC reached a maximum performance of 0.9 mW·m−2 plant growth area (PGA) at a current density of 5.6 mA·m−2 PGA. A paddy field test showed that the PU/AC electrode was suitable as an anode material in combination with a graphite felt cathode. Finally, this study offers insights on the role of electrochemically active biofilms as natural enhancers of the conductivity of electrodes and as transformers of inert low-cost electrode materials into living electron acceptors.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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