Porous ceramic anode materials for photo-microbial fuel cells

This study focuses on porous ceramics as a promising new type of anode material for photo-microbial fuel cells (p-MFCs). The anodes were made from titanium dioxide and chemical vapour deposition was used to coat them with a layer of fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) to make them conducting. Chlorella vulgaris biofilms were grown in the millimetre sized pores of the ceramic electrodes, producing an extensive extra cellular matrix that was anchored directly to the electrode surface. In contrast algal cells grown on carbon felt appeared misshapen and lacked a continuous extra cellular matrix. A preliminary comparison of different anodes in p-MFCs showed that the power density was ∼16 times higher on a ceramic anode compared to the best performing carbon anode. Good power densities were also found for algae grown directly onto FTO coated glass, but in contrast to the ceramic anodes the biofilm did not adhere strongly to the planar surface and was easily removed or damaged.

[1]  Peng Liang,et al.  Carbon nanotube powders as electrode modifier to enhance the activity of anodic biofilm in microbial fuel cells. , 2011, Biosensors & bioelectronics.

[2]  J. Reseland,et al.  A Novel Ultra-porous Titanium Dioxide Ceramic with Excellent Biocompatibility , 2011, Journal of biomaterials applications.

[3]  Hong Liu,et al.  Nanoparticle decorated anodes for enhanced current generation in microbial electrochemical cells. , 2011, Biosensors & bioelectronics.

[4]  Hubertus V M Hamelers,et al.  Microbial Communities and Electrochemical Performance of Titanium-Based Anodic Electrodes in a Microbial Fuel Cell , 2010, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[5]  L. T. Angenent,et al.  Light energy to bioelectricity: photosynthetic microbial fuel cells. , 2010, Current opinion in biotechnology.

[6]  John M. Pisciotta,et al.  Light-Dependent Electrogenic Activity of Cyanobacteria , 2010, PloS one.

[7]  Ying Liu,et al.  The study of electrochemically active microbial biofilms on different carbon-based anode materials in microbial fuel cells. , 2010, Biosensors & bioelectronics.

[8]  Uwe Schröder,et al.  Photomicrobial Solar and Fuel Cells , 2010 .

[9]  C Melhuish,et al.  Improved energy output levels from small-scale Microbial Fuel Cells. , 2010, Bioelectrochemistry.

[10]  Tibor Fabian,et al.  Direct extraction of photosynthetic electrons from single algal cells by nanoprobing system. , 2010, Nano letters.

[11]  H. Sarmento,et al.  Cyanobacteria immobilised in porous silica gels: Exploring biocompatible synthesis routes for the development of photobioreactors , 2010 .

[12]  Hubertus V M Hamelers,et al.  Solar energy powered microbial fuel cell with a reversible bioelectrode. , 2010, Environmental science & technology.

[13]  Bruce E. Rittmann,et al.  A kinetic perspective on extracellular electron transfer by anode-respiring bacteria. , 2010, FEMS microbiology reviews.

[14]  Kazuya Watanabe,et al.  Light/electricity conversion by a self-organized photosynthetic biofilm in a single-chamber reactor , 2010, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[15]  John M. Pisciotta,et al.  Photosynthetic microbial fuel cells with positive light response , 2009, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[16]  S. Cartmell,et al.  Influence of Porosity on Polarisation and Electrical Properties of Hydroxyapatite Based Ceramics , 2009 .

[17]  Wen‐Teng Wu,et al.  Effects of biomass weight and light intensity on the performance of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells with Spirulina platensis. , 2009, Bioresource technology.

[18]  Yan-feng Li,et al.  Use of microorganisms immobilized on composite polyurethane foam to remove Cu(II) from aqueous solution. , 2009, Journal of hazardous materials.

[19]  Feng Zhao,et al.  Techniques for the study and development of microbial fuel cells: an electrochemical perspective. , 2009, Chemical Society reviews.

[20]  B. Logan.  Exoelectrogenic bacteria that power microbial fuel cells , 2009, Nature Reviews Microbiology.

[21]  Zhen He,et al.  Self-sustained phototrophic microbial fuel cells based on the synergistic cooperation between photosynthetic microorganisms and heterotrophic bacteria. , 2009, Environmental science & technology.

[22]  J. Chaudhuri,et al.  Electrical characterization of hydroxyapatite-based bioceramics. , 2009, Acta biomaterialia.

[23]  Kazuya Watanabe,et al.  Recent developments in microbial fuel cell technologies for sustainable bioenergy. , 2008, Journal of bioscience and bioengineering.

[24]  I. Moreno-Garrido.  Microalgae immobilization: current techniques and uses. , 2008, Bioresource technology.

[25]  B. Rittmann.  Opportunities for renewable bioenergy using microorganisms. , 2008, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[26]  Shweta Srikanth,et al.  Electrochemical characterization of Geobacter sulfurreducens cells immobilized on graphite paper electrodes , 2008, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[27]  B. Su,et al.  Targeting photobioreactors: Immobilisation of cyanobacteria within porous silica gel using biocompatible methods , 2008 .

[28]  D. R. Bond,et al.  Shewanella secretes flavins that mediate extracellular electron transfer , 2008, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[29]  W. Knoll,et al.  A Comparative Plasmonic Study of Nanoporous and Evaporated Gold Films , 2008, Plasmonics.

[30]  N. Urano,et al.  Repeated batch cultivation of the hydrocarbon-degrading, micro-algal strain Prototheca zopfii RND16 immobilized in polyurethane foam. , 2008, Canadian journal of microbiology.

[31]  J. Lloyd,et al.  Secretion of Flavins by Shewanella Species and Their Role in Extracellular Electron Transfer , 2007, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[32]  Mu Chiao,et al.  Micromachined microbial and photosynthetic fuel cells , 2006 .

[33]  N. Lewis,et al.  Powering the planet: Chemical challenges in solar energy utilization , 2006, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[34]  Bruce E Logan,et al.  Microbial fuel cells--challenges and applications. , 2006, Environmental science & technology.

[35]  Derek R. Lovley,et al.  Biofilm and Nanowire Production Leads to Increased Current in Geobacter sulfurreducens Fuel Cells , 2006, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[36]  A. Saeed,et al.  Immobilization of blue green microalgae on loofa sponge to biosorb cadmium in repeated shake flask batch and continuous flow fixed bed column reactor system , 2006 .

[37]  Alice Dohnalkova,et al.  Electrically conductive bacterial nanowires produced by Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 and other microorganisms. , 2006, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[38]  Stefano Freguia,et al.  Microbial fuel cells: methodology and technology. , 2006, Environmental science & technology.

[39]  D. Lovley.  Microbial fuel cells: novel microbial physiologies and engineering approaches. , 2006, Current opinion in biotechnology.

[40]  W. Verstraete,et al.  Microbial fuel cells: novel biotechnology for energy generation. , 2005, Trends in biotechnology.

[41]  Derek R. Lovley,et al.  Evidence for Involvement of an Electron Shuttle in Electricity Generation by Geothrix fermentans , 2005, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[42]  Uwe Schröder,et al.  Utilizing the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for microbial electricity generation: a living solar cell , 2005, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[43]  L. T. Angenent,et al.  Production of bioenergy and biochemicals from industrial and agricultural wastewater. , 2004, Trends in biotechnology.

[44]  J. Iqbal,et al.  Removal and recovery of nickel(II) from aqueous solution by loofa sponge-immobilized biomass of Chlorella sorokiniana: characterization studies. , 2004, Journal of hazardous materials.

[45]  J. Iqbal,et al.  Enhancement of Lead(II) Biosorption by Microalgal Biomass Immobilized onto Loofa (Luffa cylindrica) Sponge , 2004 .

[46]  D. R. Bond,et al.  Electron Transfer by Desulfobulbus propionicus to Fe(III) and Graphite Electrodes , 2004, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[47]  D. R. Bond,et al.  Electricity Production by Geobacter sulfurreducens Attached to Electrodes , 2003, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[48]  Kenji Kano,et al.  Photosynthetic bioelectrochemical cell utilizing cyanobacteria and water-generating oxidase , 2001 .

[49]  D. Park,et al.  Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Neutral Red as an Electronophore , 2000, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[50]  Tatsuo Yagishita,et al.  Effects of intensity of incident light and concentrations of synechococcus sp. and 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone on the current output of photosynthetic electrochemical cell , 1997 .

[51]  G. Papageorgiou,et al.  Entrapment of active ion-permeable cyanobacteria (Anacystis nidulans) in calcium alginate , 1988, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.