A Carbon-Cloth Anode Electroplated with Iron Nanostructure for Microbial Fuel Cell Operated with Real Wastewater

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an emerging method for extracting energy from wastewater. The power generated from such systems is low due to the sluggish electron transfer from the inside of the biocatalyst to the anode surface. One strategy for enhancing the electron transfer rate is anode modification. In this study, iron nanostructure was synthesized on a carbon cloth (CC) via a simple electroplating technique, and later investigated as a bio-anode in an MFC operated with real wastewater. The performance of an MFC with a nano-layer of iron was compared to that using bare CC. The results demonstrated that the open-circuit voltage increased from 600 mV in the case of bare CC to 800 mV in the case of the iron modified CC, showing a 33% increase in OCV. This increase in OCV can be credited to the decrease in the anode potential from 0.16 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the case of bare CC, to −0.01 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the case of the modified CC. The power output in the case of the modified electrode was 80 mW/m2—two times that of the MFC using the bare CC. Furthermore, the steady-state current in the case of the iron modified carbon cloth was two times that of the bare CC electrode. The improved performance was correlated to the enhanced electron transfer between the microorganisms and the iron-plated surface, along with the increase of the anode surface- as confirmed from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the surface morphology, respectively.

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A single chamber packed bed microbial fuel cell biosensor for measuring organic content of wastewater

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2009.699 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 60 (11) ◽

pp. 2879-2887 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Mirella Di Lorenzo ◽

Tom P. Curtis ◽

Ian M. Head ◽

Sharon B. Velasquez-Orta ◽

Keith Scott

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cell ◽

Surface Area ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

Packed Bed ◽

Organic Content ◽

Anode Surface ◽

Carbon Cloth ◽

Single Chamber ◽

Steady State Current ◽

Bed Thickness

This study reports an investigation of the effect of the anode surface area on the performance of a single chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC) based biosensor for measuring the organic content of wastewater. A packed bed of graphite granules was used as the anode. The surface area of the anode was changed by altering the granule bed thickness (0.3 cm and 1 cm). The anode surface area was found to play a role in the dynamic response of the system. For a granule bed thickness of 1 cm and with an external resistance of 500 Ω, the response time (defined as the time required to achieve 95% of the steady-state current) was reduced by approximately 65% in comparison to a SCMFC biosensor with a carbon cloth anode.

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Lack of Electricity Production by Pelobacter carbinolicus Indicates that the Capacity for Fe(III) Oxide Reduction Does Not Necessarily Confer Electron Transfer Ability to Fuel Cell Anodes

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.00804-07 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 73 (16) ◽

pp. 5347-5353 ◽

Cited By ~ 93

Author(s):

Hanno Richter ◽

Martin Lanthier ◽

Kelly P. Nevin ◽

Derek R. Lovley

Keyword(s):

Electron Transfer ◽

Fuel Cells ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Electron Donors ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Anode Surface ◽

Oxide Reduction ◽

Fuel Cell Anodes

ABSTRACT The ability of Pelobacter carbinolicus to oxidize electron donors with electron transfer to the anodes of microbial fuel cells was evaluated because microorganisms closely related to Pelobacter species are generally abundant on the anodes of microbial fuel cells harvesting electricity from aquatic sediments. P. carbinolicus could not produce current in a microbial fuel cell with electron donors which support Fe(III) oxide reduction by this organism. Current was produced using a coculture of P. carbinolicus and Geobacter sulfurreducens with ethanol as the fuel. Ethanol consumption was associated with the transitory accumulation of acetate and hydrogen. G. sulfurreducens alone could not metabolize ethanol, suggesting that P. carbinolicus grew in the fuel cell by converting ethanol to hydrogen and acetate, which G. sulfurreducens oxidized with electron transfer to the anode. Up to 83% of the electrons available in ethanol were recovered as electricity and in the metabolic intermediate acetate. Hydrogen consumption by G. sulfurreducens was important for ethanol metabolism by P. carbinolicus. Confocal microscopy and analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed that half of the cells growing on the anode surface were P. carbinolicus, but there was a nearly equal number of planktonic cells of P. carbinolicus. In contrast, G. sulfurreducens was primarily attached to the anode. P. carbinolicus represents the first Fe(III) oxide-reducing microorganism found to be unable to produce current in a microbial fuel cell, providing the first suggestion that the mechanisms for extracellular electron transfer to Fe(III) oxides and fuel cell anodes may be different.

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Heterocyclic aminopyrazine–reduced graphene oxide coated carbon cloth electrode as an active bio-electrocatalyst for extracellular electron transfer in microbial fuel cells

RSC Advances ◽

10.1039/c6ra13911f ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (73) ◽

pp. 68827-68834 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Praveena Gangadharan ◽

Indumathi M. Nambi ◽

Jaganathan Senthilnathan ◽

Pavithra V. M.

Keyword(s):

Electron Transfer ◽

Graphene Oxide ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Reduced Graphene Oxide ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Extracellular Electron Transfer ◽

Carbon Cloth ◽

Reduced Graphene ◽

Coated Carbon

In the present study, a low molecular heterocyclic aminopyrazine (Apy)–reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) hybrid coated carbon cloth (r-GO–Apy–CC) was employed as an active and stable bio-electro catalyst in a microbial fuel cell (MFC).

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Nanostructured polyaniline-coated anode for improving microbial fuel cell power output

Chemical Papers ◽

10.2478/s11696-013-0381-1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 67 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Ali Mehdinia ◽

Minodokht Dejaloud ◽

Ali Jabbari

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

Glassy Carbon ◽

Electrochemical Impedance ◽

Anode Surface ◽

Carbon Anode ◽

Pani Film ◽

Anode Modification ◽

Power Densities ◽

Electrochemical Polymerisation

AbstractAn approach for improving the power generation of a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell by using a nanostructured polyaniline (PANI)-modified glassy carbon anode was investigated. Modification of the glassy carbon anode was achieved by the electrochemical polymerisation of aniline in 1 M H2SO4 solution. The MFC reactor showed power densities of 0.082 mW cm−2 and 0.031 mW cm−2 for the nano- and microstructured PANI anode, respectively. The results from electron microscopy scanning confirmed formation of the nanostructured PANI film on the anode surface and the results from electrochemical experiments confirmed that the electrochemical activity of the anode was significantly enhanced after modification by nanostructured PANI. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic results proved that the charge transfer would be facilitated after anode modification with nanostructured PANI.

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Different types of carbon nanotube-based anodes to improve microbial fuel cell performance

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2014.102 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 69 (9) ◽

pp. 1900-1910 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

N. Thepsuparungsikul ◽

T. C. Ng ◽

O. Lefebvre ◽

H. Y. Ng

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Hydroxyl Group ◽

Innovative Technology ◽

Carboxyl Group ◽

Carbon Cloth ◽

Filtration Method ◽

Oh Groups ◽

Fuel Cell Performance

The microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an innovative technology for producing electricity directly from biodegradable organic matter using bacteria. Among all the influenceable factors, anode materials play a crucial role in electricity generation. Recently, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have exhibited promising properties as electrode material due to their unique structural, and physical and chemical properties. In this study, the impacts of CNT types in CNT-based anodes were investigated to determine their effect on both efficiency of wastewater treatment and power generation. The CNTs, namely single-walled CNT with carboxyl group (SWCNT), multi-walled CNT with carboxyl group (MWCNT-COOH) and multi-walled CNT with hydroxyl group (MWCNT-OH) were used to fabricate CNT-based anodes by a filtration method. Overall, MWCNTs provided better results than SWCNTs, especially in the presence of the -OH groups. The highest power and treatment efficiencies in MFC were achieved with an anode made of MWCNT-OH filtered on Poreflon membrane; the open circuit voltage attained was 0.75 V and the maximum power density averaged 167 mW/m2, which was 130% higher than that obtained with plain carbon cloth. In addition, MWCNT-OH is more cost-effective, further suggesting its potential to replace plain carbon cloth generally used for the MFC anode.

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INFLUENCE OF CARBON BASED ELECTRODES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MICROBIAL FUEL CELL

International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH ◽

10.29121/granthaalayah.v5.i4rast.2017.3296 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (4RAST) ◽

pp. 7-16

Author(s):

Omkar S Powar ◽

Lakshminarayana Bhatta ◽

Raghavendra Prasad ◽

Krishna Venkatesh ◽

A.V. Raghu

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

High Power ◽

Microbial Fuel Cells ◽

Bacillus Coagulans ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Carbon Cloth ◽

Anode Chamber ◽

Graphite Sheet ◽

Fuel Cell Performance

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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Evidence for Direct Electron Transfer by a Gram-Positive Bacterium Isolated from a Microbial Fuel Cell

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.05365-11 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 77 (21) ◽

pp. 7633-7639 ◽

Cited By ~ 134

Author(s):

K. C. Wrighton ◽

J. C. Thrash ◽

R. A. Melnyk ◽

J. P. Bigi ◽

K. G. Byrne-Bailey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Transfer ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Microbial Fuel Cell ◽

Cell Envelope ◽

Direct Electron Transfer ◽

Surrounding Medium ◽

Anode Surface ◽

Extracellular Electron Transfer ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Content Type

ABSTRACTDespite their importance in iron redox cycles and bioenergy production, the underlying physiological, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms of extracellular electron transfer by Gram-positive bacteria remain insufficiently understood. In this work, we investigated respiration byThermincola potensstrain JR, a Gram-positive isolate obtained from the anode surface of a microbial fuel cell, using insoluble electron acceptors. We found no evidence that soluble redox-active components were secreted into the surrounding medium on the basis of physiological experiments and cyclic voltammetry measurements. Confocal microscopy revealed highly stratified biofilms in which cells contacting the electrode surface were disproportionately viable relative to the rest of the biofilm. Furthermore, there was no correlation between biofilm thickness and power production, suggesting that cells in contact with the electrode were primarily responsible for current generation. These data, along with cryo-electron microscopy experiments, support contact-dependent electron transfer byT. potensstrain JR from the cell membrane across the 37-nm cell envelope to the cell surface. Furthermore, we present physiological and genomic evidence thatc-type cytochromes play a role in charge transfer across the Gram-positive bacterial cell envelope during metal reduction.

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