Metallophthalocyanine/carbon nanotube hybrids: extending applications to microbial fuel cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (07n08) ◽  
pp. 917-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean L. Edwards ◽  
Ronen Fogel ◽  
Kudzai Mtambanengwe ◽  
Chamunorwa Togo ◽  
Richard Laubscher ◽  
...  

Pioneering work by Nyokong and others have highlighted the potential benefits for improved electron transfer processes and catalysis of hybrid configurations of metallophthalocyanines with carbon nanotubes. Here we examine the practical application of such hybrid configurations in an Enterobacter cloacae microbial fuel cell. Electrochemical investigations at glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) showed that FePc and FePc :multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) hybrid surface modifications display significant oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalytic properties compared to either MWCNT-modified or bare GCE surfaces throughout acidic- to moderately-alkaline pHs. Significant stabilization of the current response at FePc :MWCNT surfaces are notable throughout the pH range, compared to GCE surfaces modified with FePc alone. Corresponding results were obtained for surface modifications of bare carbon paper (BCP) cathodes in a microbial fuel cell where power density increases were observed in the order: Pt > FePc :MWCNT > FePc > MWCNT > BCP. A synergistic combination of simple treatments such as increased ionic strength (300 mM NaCl ), temperature (35 °C), and agitation of the anode chamber in this MFC configuration increased the power density to 2.5 times greater than that achieved at platinised cathode configurations under non-optimised conditions, achieving peak power densities of 212 mW.m-2. The long-term stability of the MFC was assessed over 55 days. Surprisingly, the majority of signal loss over extended MFC operation was attributed, in this study, to fouling of the Nafion® PEM membrane rather than either leaching/fouling of the catalysts from the electrodes or nutrient depletion in the anode over the time periods examined.

Author(s):  
Jie Yang ◽  
Sasan Ghobadian ◽  
Reza Montazami ◽  
Nastaran Hashemi

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is a promising area in the field of renewable energy because of their capability to use the energy contained in wastewater, which has been previously an untapped source of power. Microscale MFCs are desirable for their small footprints, relatively high power density, fast start-up, and environmentally-friendly process. Microbial fuel cells employ microorganisms as the biocatalysts instead of metal catalysts, which are widely applied in conventional fuel cells. MFCs are capable of generating electricity as long as nutrition is provided. Miniature MFCs have faster power generation recovery than macroscale MFCs. Additionally, since power generation density is affected by the surface-to-volume ratio, miniature MFCs can facilitate higher power density. We have designed and fabricated a microscale microbial fuel cell with a volume of 4 μL in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chamber. The anode and cathode chambers were separated by a proton exchange membrane. Carbon cloth was used for both the anode and the cathode. Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 was chosen to be the electrogenic bacteria and was inoculated into the anode chamber. We employed Ferricyanide as the catholyte and introduced it into the cathode chamber with a constant flow rate of approximately 50 μL/hr. We used trypticase soy broth as the bacterial nutrition and added it into the anode chamber approximately every 15 hours once current dropped to base current. Using our miniature MFC, we were able to generate a maximum current of 4.62 μA.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-sheng Huang ◽  
Ping Yang ◽  
Chong-ming Li ◽  
Yong Guo ◽  
Bo Lai ◽  
...  

In order to study the effect of nitrite and nitrate on the performance of microbial fuel cell, a system combining an anaerobic fluidized bed (AFB) and a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was employed for high-strength nitrogen-containing synthetic wastewater treatment. Before this study, the AFB-MFC had been used to treat high-strength organic wastewater for about one year in a continuous flow mode. The results showed that when the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were increased from 1700 mg/L to 4045 mg/L and 545 mg/L to 1427 mg/L, respectively, the nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen removal efficiencies were both above 99%; the COD removal efficiency went up from 60.00% to 88.95%; the voltage was about 375 ± 15 mV while the power density was at 70 ± 5 mW/m2. However, when the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were above 4045 mg/L and 1427 mg/L, respectively, the removal of nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, COD, voltage, and power density were decreased to be 86%, 88%, 77%, 180 mV, and 17 mW/m2 when nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were increased to 4265 mg/L and 1661 mg/L. In addition, the composition of biogas generated in the anode chamber was analyzed by a gas chromatograph. Nitrogen gas, methane, and carbon dioxide were obtained. The results indicated that denitrification happened in anode chamber.


2011 ◽  
Vol 183-185 ◽  
pp. 1549-1552
Author(s):  
Yong Juan Zhang ◽  
Zhang Min ◽  
Zheng Yang ◽  
Jing Yi Xie ◽  
Yong Feng Li

The electrode material has the very important influence to the microbial fuel cell. The different electrode materials were studied for producing the electricity performance to MFC by the activated sludge as the substrate. The results indicated that the anode of graphite pole was 0.63 mW/cm2 of the area power density. The carbon paper was 60 (0.50mW/cm2). Carbon paper 90 was 0.23mW/cm2. Although having the biggest area power density, the general trend of the graphite pole is much lower than others and production of the electricity was not good. Even though the maximum of area power density of graphite pole, it might be the reason for increasing nutritive compound and elevation of temperature. The carbon paper 90 produce the area power density is the steadiest among three poles and its output voltage is a quite stable and low. MFC is excellent under carbon paper 90. The area power density had strong fluctuating scope, the power density is big and the overall value is high under carbon paper 60.


2015 ◽  
Vol 273 ◽  
pp. 823-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Ren ◽  
Soonjae Pyo ◽  
Jae-Ik Lee ◽  
Tae-Jin Park ◽  
Forrest S. Gittleson ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4132-4134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tushar Sharma ◽  
A. Leela Mohana Reddy ◽  
T. S. Chandra ◽  
S. Ramaprabhu

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) are robust devices capable of taping biological energy, converting sugars into potential sources of energy. Persistent efforts are directed towards increasing power output. However, they have not been researched to the extent of making them competitive with chemical fuel cells. The power generated in a dual-chamber MFC using neutral red (NR) as the electron mediator has been previously shown to be 152.4 mW/m2 at 412.5 mA/m2 of current density. In the present work we show that Pt thin film coated carbon paper as electrodes increase the performance of a microbial fuel cell compared to conventionally employed electrodes. The results obtained using E. coli based microbial fuel cell with methylene blue and neutral red as the electron mediator, potassium ferricyanide in the cathode compartment were systematically studied and the results obtained with Pt thin film coated over carbon paper as electrodes were compared with that of graphite electrodes. Platinum coated carbon electrodes were found to be better over the previously used for microbial fuel cells and at the same time are cheaper than the preferred pure platinum electrodes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (8) ◽  
pp. 1752-1757 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Belleville ◽  
P. J. Strong ◽  
P. H. Dare ◽  
D. J. Gapes

We describe the operation of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) system operating on a synthetic wastewater (acetic acid), under conditions of increasing nitrogen limitation. Two MFCs were operated under feed conditions which spanned a range of TKN/COD values of 1.6–28 mg/g. Stable operation was observed in all cases, even when no ammoniacal nitrogen was added to the cell. Improved electrochemical performance (measured as power density, W/m2) was observed as nitrogen limitation was imposed on the cells. Even with no ammonium addition, continuous function of the cell was maintained, at levels consistent with operation at balanced nutrient supplementation. The work has implicated biological nitrogen fixation as a potential source of nitrogen within the MFC. Whilst this hypothesis has yet to be confirmed, the work highlights the opportunity for continuous operation of microbial fuel cells utilising wastewaters with extremely low nitrogen levels, present in pulp and paper, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries. Further, the described increases in some of the electrochemical indices (e.g. power density) under application of nitrogen limitation may provide a new approach to increasing fuel cell performance. Finally, the lack of any need to add supplemental nitrogen to a MFC-based wastewater treatment technology holds potential for significant financial and environmental savings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Vidia Wahyu Meidy Safitri ◽  
Tuhu Agung Rachmanto

ABSTRAK Limbah cair tahu mengandung kandungan organik tinggi dengan konsentrasi COD 1408 mg/l, TSS 191 mg/l dan pH 4,46.  Salah satu penelitian dengan pemanfaatan limbah dan energi yaitu Microbial Fuel cell (MFC). Energi Kimia senyawa organik dari mikroorganisme akan dirubah menjadi energi listrik dengan reaksi katalik dari mikroorganisme dalam keadaan anaerob merupakan proses microbial fuel cells. Salah satu tantangan untuk mengembangkan sistem MFC adalah dengan memilih elektroda yang tepat. Elektroda yang digunakan harus memiliki daya konduktifitas listrik tinggi, pemukaan yang luas, non korosif, biokompatibel, stabil. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memgetahui jenis elektroda optimum dalam menghasilkan power density dengan variasi elektroda karbon grafit, seng dan tembaga, variasi waktu 0, 48, 96, 144, dan 192 jam. Dilakukan pre-treatment koagulasi flokulasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa MFC dengan elektroda karbon grafit dan karbon grafit menghaslikan power density sebesar 2292,994 mW/m2. MFC juga menurunkan konsentrasi COD hingga 88%. Waktu pengolahan dapat mempengaruhi efisiensi penyisihan COD.   Kata kunci: limbah tahu, microbial fuel cell, power density   ABSTRACT   Tofu liquid waste contains high organic content with a COD concentration of 1408 mg / l, TSS 191 mg / l and pH 4.46. One of the researches related to waste and energy utilization is Microbial Fuel cell (MFC). Chemical energy organic compounds from microorganism will be converted into electrical energy by the catalytic reaction of microorganism in anaerobic conditions is a process of microbial fuel cells. One of the challenges to developing an MFC system is to choose the right electrodes. The electrodes used must have high electrical conductivity, a wide surface, non-corrosive, biocompatible, stable. This study aims to find out the most optimum type of electrode in producing power density with variations of carbon graphite, zinc and copper, variations of 0, 48, 96, 144, and 192 hours. The pre-treatment are Coagulation-flocculation. The results showed that MFC with carbon graphite and carbon graphite electrodes produced a power density of 2292,994 mW/m2. MFC also reduces COD concentrations up to 88%. Processing time can affect the efficiency of COD removal.   Keywords: Tofu Liquid Waste, Microbial Fuel Cells, power density


Membranes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulia Plekhanova ◽  
Sergei Tarasov ◽  
Vladimir Kolesov ◽  
Iren Kuznetsova ◽  
Maria Signore ◽  
...  

The anode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was formed on a graphite electrode and immobilized Gluconobacter oxydans VKM-1280 bacterial cells. Immobilization was performed in chitosan, poly(vinyl alcohol) or N-vinylpyrrolidone-modified poly(vinyl alcohol). Ethanol was used as substrate. The anode was modified using multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The aim of the modification was to create a conductive network between cell lipid membranes, containing exposed pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent alcoholdehydrogenases, and the electrode to facilitate electron transfer in the system. The bioelectrochemical characteristics of modified anodes at various cell/polymer ratios were assessed via current density, power density, polarization curves and impedance spectres. Microbial fuel cells based on chitosan at a matrix/cell volume ratio of 5:1 produced maximal power characteristics of the system (8.3 μW/cm2) at a minimal resistance (1111 Ohm cm2). Modification of the anode by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) led to a slight decrease of internal resistance (down to 1078 Ohm cm2) and to an increase of generated power density up to 10.6 μW/cm2. We explored the possibility of accumulating electric energy from an MFC on a 6800-μF capacitor via a boost converter. Generated voltage was increased from 0.3 V up to 3.2 V. Accumulated energy was used to power a Clark-type biosensor and a Bluetooth transmitter with three sensors, a miniature electric motor and a light-emitting diode.


Author(s):  
Da Liu ◽  
Wen-Kai Fang ◽  
Jiangtao Li ◽  
Liling Zhang ◽  
Mei Yan ◽  
...  

In general, more exoelectrogens’ enrichment implies higher power density. However, due to the low electrocatalytic activity of the anode, it limits the performance of microbial fuel cell. Here, based on...


Author(s):  
Omkar S Powar ◽  
Lakshminarayana Bhatta ◽  
Raghavendra Prasad ◽  
Krishna Venkatesh ◽  
A.V. Raghu

In this study electricity generation was evaluated in a two chambered microbial fuel cell. Performance of microbial fuel cells using two bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus coagulans and using three different electrodes namely graphite blocks, carbon cloth and graphite sheet was studied. The device was operated under anaerobic condition in the anode chamber and parameters were recorded for a period of 48 hours. The performance of MFC was analyzed by the measurement of open circuit voltage, polarization curves, impedance curves and cyclic voltammetry. Among different combinations of electrode tested, carbon cloth electrode produced high power density (80 mW/m2). Graphite block gave much high power compared to sheet. Finally, performance was compared with Shewanellaputrefaciens. The current study explores the applicability of carbon electrode for MFC applications.


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