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Porous translucent electrodes enhance current generation from photosynthetic biofilms

Author

Listed:
  • Tobias Wenzel

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Daniel Härtter

    (University of Cambridge
    Georg-August-Universität)

  • Paolo Bombelli

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Christopher J. Howe

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Ullrich Steiner

    (Adolphe Merkle Institute)

Abstract

Some photosynthetically active bacteria transfer electrons across their membranes, generating electrical photocurrents in biofilms. Devices harvesting solar energy by this mechanism are currently limited by the charge transfer to the electrode. Here, we report the enhancement of bioelectrochemical photocurrent harvesting using electrodes with porosities on the nanometre and micrometre length scale. For the cyanobacteria Nostoc punctiforme and Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 on structured indium-tin-oxide electrodes, an increase in current generation by two orders of magnitude is observed compared to a non-porous electrode. In addition, the photo response is substantially faster compared to non-porous anodes. Electrodes with large enough mesopores for the cells to inhabit show only a small advantage over purely nanoporous electrode morphologies, suggesting the prevalence of a redox shuttle mechanism in the electron transfer from the bacteria to the electrode over a direct conduction mechanism. Our results highlight the importance of electrode nanoporosity in the design of electrochemical bio-interfaces.

Suggested Citation

  • Tobias Wenzel & Daniel Härtter & Paolo Bombelli & Christopher J. Howe & Ullrich Steiner, 2018. "Porous translucent electrodes enhance current generation from photosynthetic biofilms," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-03320-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03320-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Ting & Song, Jianan & Lin, Weichen & Fu, Boya & Guo, Xingguo & Huang, Xia & Wu, Hui & Zhang, Xiaoyuan, 2021. "A freestanding carbon submicro fiber sponge as high-efficient bioelectrochemical anode for wastewater energy recovery and treatment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    2. Shoko Kusama & Seiji Kojima & Ken Kimura & Ginga Shimakawa & Chikahiro Miyake & Kenya Tanaka & Yasuaki Okumura & Shuji Nakanishi, 2022. "Order-of-magnitude enhancement in photocurrent generation of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 by outer membrane deprivation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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