Abstract
Microbial fuel cells are an emerging technology for wastewater treatment, but to be commercially viable and sustainable, the electrode materials must be inexpensive, recyclable, and reliable. In this study, recyclable polymeric supports were explored for the development of anode electrodes to be applied in single-chamber microbial fuel cells operated in field under hypersaline conditions. The support was covered with a carbon nanotube (CNT) based conductive paint, and biofilms were able to colonize the electrodes. The single-chamber microbial fuel cells with Pt-free cathodes delivered a reproducible power output after 15 days of operation to achieve 12±1 mW m−2 at a current density of 69±7 mA m−2. The decrease of the performance in long-term experiments was mostly related to inorganic precipitates on the cathode electrode and did not affect the performance of the anode, as shown by experiments in which the cathode was replaced and the fuel cell performance was regenerated. The results of these studies show the feasibility of polymeric supports coated with CNT-based paint for microbial fuel cell applications.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2053-2058 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | ChemSusChem |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 9 May 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- carbon nanotubes
- conductive paints
- hypersalinity
- microbial fuel cells
- wastewater
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering(all)
- Materials Science(all)
- Energy(all)
Cite this
Sustainable Hypersaline Microbial Fuel Cells : Inexpensive Recyclable Polymer Supports for Carbon Nanotube Conductive Paint Anodes. / Grattieri, Matteo; Shivel, Nelson D.; Sifat, Iram; Bestetti, Massimiliano; Minteer, Shelley D.
In: ChemSusChem, Vol. 10, No. 9, 09.05.2017, p. 2053-2058.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable Hypersaline Microbial Fuel Cells
T2 - Inexpensive Recyclable Polymer Supports for Carbon Nanotube Conductive Paint Anodes
AU - Grattieri, Matteo
AU - Shivel, Nelson D.
AU - Sifat, Iram
AU - Bestetti, Massimiliano
AU - Minteer, Shelley D.
PY - 2017/5/9
Y1 - 2017/5/9
N2 - Microbial fuel cells are an emerging technology for wastewater treatment, but to be commercially viable and sustainable, the electrode materials must be inexpensive, recyclable, and reliable. In this study, recyclable polymeric supports were explored for the development of anode electrodes to be applied in single-chamber microbial fuel cells operated in field under hypersaline conditions. The support was covered with a carbon nanotube (CNT) based conductive paint, and biofilms were able to colonize the electrodes. The single-chamber microbial fuel cells with Pt-free cathodes delivered a reproducible power output after 15 days of operation to achieve 12±1 mW m−2 at a current density of 69±7 mA m−2. The decrease of the performance in long-term experiments was mostly related to inorganic precipitates on the cathode electrode and did not affect the performance of the anode, as shown by experiments in which the cathode was replaced and the fuel cell performance was regenerated. The results of these studies show the feasibility of polymeric supports coated with CNT-based paint for microbial fuel cell applications.
AB - Microbial fuel cells are an emerging technology for wastewater treatment, but to be commercially viable and sustainable, the electrode materials must be inexpensive, recyclable, and reliable. In this study, recyclable polymeric supports were explored for the development of anode electrodes to be applied in single-chamber microbial fuel cells operated in field under hypersaline conditions. The support was covered with a carbon nanotube (CNT) based conductive paint, and biofilms were able to colonize the electrodes. The single-chamber microbial fuel cells with Pt-free cathodes delivered a reproducible power output after 15 days of operation to achieve 12±1 mW m−2 at a current density of 69±7 mA m−2. The decrease of the performance in long-term experiments was mostly related to inorganic precipitates on the cathode electrode and did not affect the performance of the anode, as shown by experiments in which the cathode was replaced and the fuel cell performance was regenerated. The results of these studies show the feasibility of polymeric supports coated with CNT-based paint for microbial fuel cell applications.
KW - carbon nanotubes
KW - conductive paints
KW - hypersalinity
KW - microbial fuel cells
KW - wastewater
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U2 - 10.1002/cssc.201700099
DO - 10.1002/cssc.201700099
M3 - Article
VL - 10
SP - 2053
EP - 2058
JO - ChemSusChem
JF - ChemSusChem
SN - 1864-5631
IS - 9
ER -