Efficient Hydrogen Delivery for Microbial Electrosynthesis via 3D-Printed Cathodes

The efficient delivery of electrochemically in situ produced H2 can be a key advantage of microbial electrosynthesis over traditional gas fermentation. However, the technical details of how to supply large amounts of electric current per volume in a biocompatible manner remain unresolved. Here, we explored for the first time the flexibility of complex 3D-printed custom electrodes to fine tune H2 delivery during microbial electrosynthesis. Using a model system for H2-mediated electromethanogenesis comprised of 3D fabricated carbon aerogel cathodes plated with nickel-molybdenum and Methanococcus maripaludis, we showed that novel 3D-printed cathodes facilitated sustained and efficient electromethanogenesis from electricity and CO2 at an unprecedented volumetric production rate of 2.2 LCH4 /Lcatholyte/day and at a coulombic efficiency of 99%. Importantly, our experiments revealed that the efficiency of this process strongly depends on the current density. At identical total current supplied, larger surface area cathodes enabled higher methane production and minimized escape of H2. Specifically, low current density (<1 mA/cm2) enabled by high surface area cathodes was found to be critical for fast start-up times of the microbial culture, stable steady state performance, and high coulombic efficiencies. Our data demonstrate that 3D-printing of electrodes presents a promising design tool to mitigate effects of bubble formation and local pH gradients within the boundary layer and, thus, resolve key critical limitations for in situ electron delivery in microbial electrosynthesis.

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Nanostructured Graphenes and Metal Oxides for Fuel Cell and Battery Applications

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.705.126 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 705 ◽

pp. 126-131 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhe Fei Li ◽

Jian Xie ◽

Lia Stanciu ◽

Yang Ren

Keyword(s):

Composite Material ◽

Graphene Oxide ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Metal Oxides ◽

Surface Area ◽

Current Density ◽

Graphene Sheets ◽

Nanoparticle Composites ◽

A Current

Graphene/spacer nanoparticle composites were prepared by reducing graphene oxide with hydrazine in the presence of different contents of polyaniline nanoparticles. In-situ cryo-TEM image of GO-spacer solution shows that spacer nanoparticles are anchored on GO sheets. During the reduction, as-adsorbed spacer nanoparticles were sandwiched between layers of graphene. These spacer nanoparticles act as spacers to create gaps between neighboring graphene sheets, resulting in higher surface area. Graphene/spacer nanocomposites exhibited highest specific surface area of 1500 m2/g. Utilizing this composite material, a supercapacitor with specific capacitance of 267 F/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g was achieved.

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Enhanced Ion Transport in an Ether Aided Super Concentrated Ionic Liquid Electrolyte for Long-Life Practical Lithium Metal Battery Applications

10.26434/chemrxiv.12588059.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Urbi Pal ◽

Fangfang Chen ◽

Derick Gyabang ◽

Thushan Pathirana ◽

Binayak Roy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ionic Liquid ◽

Ion Transport ◽

Current Density ◽

Coulombic Efficiency ◽

High Energy ◽

Liquid Electrolyte ◽

High Mass ◽

Lithium Metal ◽

Ionic Liquid Electrolyte ◽

Lithium Metal Battery

We explore a novel ether aided superconcentrated ionic liquid electrolyte; a combination of ionic liquid, N-propyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (C3mpyrFSI) and ether solvent, 1,2 dimethoxy ethane (DME) with 3.2 mol/kg LiFSI salt, which offers an alternative ion-transport mechanism and improves the overall fluidity of the electrolyte. The molecular dynamics (MD) study reveals that the coordination environment of lithium in the ether aided ionic liquid system offers a coexistence of both the ether DME and FSI anion simultaneously and the absence of ‘free’, uncoordinated DME solvent. These structures lead to very fast kinetics and improved current density for lithium deposition-dissolution processes. Hence the electrolyte is used in a lithium metal battery against a high mass loading (~12 mg/cm2) LFP cathode which was cycled at a relatively high current rate of 1mA/cm2 for 350 cycles without capacity fading and offered an overall coulombic efficiency of >99.8 %. Additionally, the rate performance demonstrated that this electrolyte is capable of passing current density as high as 7mA/cm2 without any electrolytic decomposition and offers a superior capacity retention. We have also demonstrated an ‘anode free’ LFP-Cu cell which was cycled over 50 cycles and achieved an average coulombic efficiency of 98.74%. The coordination chemistry and (electro)chemical understanding as well as the excellent cycling stability collectively leads toward a breakthrough in realizing the practical applicability of this ether aided ionic liquid electrolytes in lithium metal battery applications, while delivering high energy density in a prototype cell.

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Dendrite-Free and Stable Lithium Metal Battery Achieved by a Model of Stepwise Lithium Deposition and Stripping

Nano-Micro Letters ◽

10.1007/s40820-021-00687-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tiancun Liu ◽

Jinlong Wang ◽

Yi Xu ◽

Yifan Zhang ◽

Yong Wang

Keyword(s):

Reduction Method ◽

Coulombic Efficiency ◽

List Type ◽

Lithium Metal ◽

Metal Anode ◽

In Situ Raman ◽

Unique Model ◽

Li Metal Anode ◽

Pyridinic N

Highlights A facile method is adopted to obtain cucumber-like lithiophilic composite skeleton. Massive lithiophilic sites in cucumber-like lithiophilic composite skeleton can promote and guide uniform Li depositions. A unique model of stepwise Li deposition and stripping is determined. Abstract The uncontrolled formation of lithium (Li) dendrites and the unnecessary consumption of electrolyte during the Li plating/stripping process have been major obstacles in developing safe and stable Li metal batteries. Herein, we report a cucumber-like lithiophilic composite skeleton (CLCS) fabricated through a facile oxidation-immersion-reduction method. The stepwise Li deposition and stripping, determined using in situ Raman spectra during the galvanostatic Li charging/discharging process, promote the formation of a dendrite-free Li metal anode. Furthermore, numerous pyridinic N, pyrrolic N, and CuxN sites with excellent lithiophilicity work synergistically to distribute Li ions and suppress the formation of Li dendrites. Owing to these advantages, cells based on CLCS exhibit a high Coulombic efficiency of 97.3% for 700 cycles and an improved lifespan of 2000 h for symmetric cells. The full cells assembled with LiFePO4 (LFP), SeS2 cathodes and CLCS@Li anodes demonstrate high capacities of 110.1 mAh g−1 after 600 cycles at 0.2 A g−1 in CLCS@Li|LFP and 491.8 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 1 A g−1 in CLCS@Li|SeS2. The unique design of CLCS may accelerate the application of Li metal anodes in commercial Li metal batteries.

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Microchannelled alkylated chitosan sponge to treat noncompressible hemorrhages and facilitate wound healing

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-24972-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xinchen Du ◽

Le Wu ◽

Hongyu Yan ◽

Zhuyan Jiang ◽

Shilin Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wound Healing ◽

Shape Recovery ◽

Parenchymal Cell ◽

Gelatin Sponge ◽

Defect Model ◽

Liver Parenchymal Cell ◽

E Coli ◽

Tissue Integration ◽

3D Printed

AbstractDeveloping an anti-infective shape-memory hemostatic sponge able to guide in situ tissue regeneration for noncompressible hemorrhages in civilian and battlefield settings remains a challenge. Here we engineer hemostatic chitosan sponges with highly interconnective microchannels by combining 3D printed microfiber leaching, freeze-drying, and superficial active modification. We demonstrate that the microchannelled alkylated chitosan sponge (MACS) exhibits the capacity for water and blood absorption, as well as rapid shape recovery. We show that compared to clinically used gauze, gelatin sponge, CELOX™, and CELOX™-gauze, the MACS provides higher pro-coagulant and hemostatic capacities in lethally normal and heparinized rat and pig liver perforation wound models. We demonstrate its anti-infective activity against S. aureus and E. coli and its promotion of liver parenchymal cell infiltration, vascularization, and tissue integration in a rat liver defect model. Overall, the MACS demonstrates promising clinical translational potential in treating lethal noncompressible hemorrhage and facilitating wound healing.

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Carbon dioxide conversion to C1 - C2 compounds in a microbial electrosynthesis cell with in situ electrodeposition of nickel and iron

Electrochimica Acta ◽

10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138349 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 383 ◽

pp. 138349

Author(s):

Abraham Gomez Vidales ◽

Guillaume Bruant ◽

Sasha Omanovic ◽

Boris Tartakovsky

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Carbon Dioxide Conversion ◽

Microbial Electrosynthesis ◽

Electrodeposition Of Nickel

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In situ measurement of the surface area during catalyst preparation: development of a new method

Applied Catalysis A General ◽

10.1016/s0926-860x(02)00035-2 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 229 (1-2) ◽

pp. 273-281 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

A. Frennet ◽

V. Chitry ◽

N. Kruse

Keyword(s):

Surface Area ◽

Catalyst Preparation ◽

In Situ Measurement ◽

New Method

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High Current Density Effect on In-situ Atomic Migration Characteristics of a BiTe Thin Film System

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics ◽

10.7567/jjap.52.10mc06 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 52 (10S) ◽

pp. 10MC06

Author(s):

Seunghyun Kim ◽

Yong-Jin Park ◽

Young-Chang Joo ◽

Young-Bae Park

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Current Density ◽

High Current Density ◽

Density Effect ◽

Film System ◽

High Current ◽

Thin Film System

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Scaling-up of microbial electrosynthesis with multiple electrodes for in situ production of hydrogen peroxide

iScience ◽

10.1016/j.isci.2021.102094 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 102094

Author(s):

Rusen Zou ◽

Aliyeh Hasanzadeh ◽

Alireza Khataee ◽

Xiaoyong Yang ◽

Mingyi Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Peroxide ◽

Scaling Up ◽

Microbial Electrosynthesis ◽

Multiple Electrodes ◽

Production Of Hydrogen ◽

In Situ Production

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Electrochemical Solvent Cointercalation into Graphite in Propylene Carbonate-Based Electrolytes: A Chronopotentiometric Characterization

Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry ◽

10.1155/2018/9231857 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hee-Youb Song ◽

Soon-Ki Jeong

Keyword(s):

Propylene Carbonate ◽

Redox Reactions ◽

High Current Density ◽

Coulombic Efficiency ◽

Pyrolytic Graphite ◽

Lithium Ion ◽

In Situ Raman Spectroscopy ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Atomic Force

Interfacial reactions strongly influence the performance of lithium-ion batteries, with the main interfacial reaction between graphite and propylene carbonate- (PC-) based electrolytes corresponding to solvent cointercalation. Herein, the redox reactions of solvated lithium ions occurring at the graphite interface in 1 M·LiClO4/PC were probed by chronopotentiometry, in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM), and in situ Raman spectroscopy. The obtained results revealed that high coulombic efficiency (97.5%) can be achieved at high current density, additionally showing the strong influence of charge capacity on the above redox reactions. Moreover, AFM imaging indicated the occurrence of solvent cointercalation during the first reduction, as reflected by the presence of hills and blisters on the basal plane of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite subjected to the above process.

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