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Streamlining of commercial Berl saddles: A new material to improve the performance of microbial fuel cells

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  • Hidalgo, Diana
  • Tommasi, Tonia
  • Cauda, Valentina
  • Porro, Samuele
  • Chiodoni, Angelica
  • Bejtka, Katarzyna
  • Ruggeri, Bernardo

Abstract

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an upcoming technology that allows oxidizing organic matter to generate current by microorganism's activity. To render MFCs a cost-effective and energy sustainable technology, low-cost materials can be employed as support for bacteria growth and proliferation. With this purpose in mind, ceramic Berl saddles were opportunely covered by a thin and conductive carbon layer, thus obtaining an innovative low-cost anode material able to efficiently recover the electrons released by bacteria metabolisms. The conductive layer was obtained by using α-d-glucose deposition process within the following steps: impregnation, caramelization, and pyrolysis. In this way, a homogenous coating of polycrystalline graphitic carbon was successfully obtained and characterized by several methods. The carbon-coated Berl saddles were then tested as anode material in a two-compartment MFC prototype, in batch mode and using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as active microorganisms. The MFC performances were evaluated using electrochemical techniques. The carbon-coated Berl saddles showed a maximum power density of 130 mW m−2 (29.6 mA L−1) which is about 2–3 times higher than the values reported in literature by using commercial anode materials. In particular, we have carefully estimated the production and process costs of these carbon-coated Berl saddles used in our MFC prototype, obtaining a value comparable to the commercial carbon felt employed in the same MFC apparatus. All these results confirm that our innovative carbon-coated Berl saddles not only satisfy the electrical requirements, but also favor an optimal bacteria adhesion and can be produced as a low-cost anode for scaling-up MFC.

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  • Hidalgo, Diana & Tommasi, Tonia & Cauda, Valentina & Porro, Samuele & Chiodoni, Angelica & Bejtka, Katarzyna & Ruggeri, Bernardo, 2014. "Streamlining of commercial Berl saddles: A new material to improve the performance of microbial fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 615-623.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:71:y:2014:i:c:p:615-623
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.05.012
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    3. Silveira, Gustavo & de Aquino Neto, Sidney & Schneedorf, José Maurício, 2020. "Development, characterization and application of a low-cost single chamber microbial fuel cell based on hydraulic couplers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
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    5. Nikhil, G.N. & Venkata Subhash, G. & Yeruva, Dileep Kumar & Venkata Mohan, S., 2015. "Synergistic yield of dual energy forms through biocatalyzed electrofermentation of waste: Stoichiometric analysis of electron and carbon distribution," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 281-291.
    6. Ghasemi, Mostafa & Wan Daud, Wan Ramli & Alam, Javed & Ilbeygi, Hamid & Sedighi, Mehdi & Ismail, Ahmad Fauzi & Yazdi, Mohammad H. & Aljlil, Saad A., 2016. "Treatment of two different water resources in desalination and microbial fuel cell processes by poly sulfone/Sulfonated poly ether ether ketone hybrid membrane," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 303-313.
    7. Jadhav, Dipak A. & Park, Sung-Gwan & Eisa, Tasnim & Mungray, Arvind K. & Madenli, Evrim Celik & Olabi, Abdul-Ghani & Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali & Chae, Kyu-Jung, 2022. "Current outlook towards feasibility and sustainability of ceramic membranes for practical scalable applications of microbial fuel cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    8. Chen, Yingwen & Xu, Yuan & Chen, Liuliu & Li, Peiwen & Zhu, Shemin & Shen, Shubao, 2015. "Microbial electrolysis cells with polyaniline/multi-walled carbon nanotube-modified biocathodes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 377-384.
    9. Schilirò, T. & Tommasi, T. & Armato, C. & Hidalgo, D. & Traversi, D. & Bocchini, S. & Gilli, G. & Pirri, C.F., 2016. "The study of electrochemically active planktonic microbes in microbial fuel cells in relation to different carbon-based anode materials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 277-284.
    10. Ortiz-Martínez, V.M. & Salar-García, M.J. & Hernández-Fernández, F.J. & de los Ríos, A.P., 2015. "Development and characterization of a new embedded ionic liquid based membrane-cathode assembly for its application in single chamber microbial fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 1748-1757.

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