Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology capable of directly converting the abundant biomass on the planet into electricity. Prior studies have adopted a variety of nanostructured materials with high surface area to volume ratio (SAV), yet the current and power density of these nanostructured materials do not deliver a significant leap over conventional MFCs. This study presents a novel approach to implement a miniaturized MFC with a high SAV of 4000 m-1 using three different CNT-based electrode materials: Vertically Aligned CNT (VACNT), Randomly Aligned CNT (RACNT), and Spin-Spray Layer-by-Layer (SSLbL) CNT. These CNT-based electrodes show unique biofilm morphology and thickness. The study of performance parameters of miniaturized MFCs with these CNT-electrodes are conducted with respect to a control bare gold electrode. The results show that CNT-based materials attract more exoelectrogens, Geobacter sp., than bare gold, yielding thicker biofilm formation. Among CNT-based electrodes, low sheet resistance electrodes result in thick biofilm generation and high current/power density. The miniaturized MFC having an SSLbL CNT anode exhibits a high volumetric power density of 3320 W m-3. This research may help lay the foundation for future research involving the optimization of MFCS with 2D and 3D nanostructured electrodes.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 823-830 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Power Sources |
| Volume | 273 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- Carbon nanotube
- Layer-by-Layer assembly
- Microbial fuel cell
- Surface area to volume ratio (SAV)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Cite this
A high power density miniaturized microbial fuel cell having carbon nanotube anodes. / Ren, Hao; Pyo, Soonjae; Lee, Jae Ik; Park, Tae Jin; Gittleson, Forrest S.; Leung, Frederick C.C.; Kim, Jongbaeg; Taylor, Andre; Lee, Hyung Sool; Chae, Junseok.
In: Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 273, 01.01.2015, p. 823-830.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A high power density miniaturized microbial fuel cell having carbon nanotube anodes
AU - Ren, Hao
AU - Pyo, Soonjae
AU - Lee, Jae Ik
AU - Park, Tae Jin
AU - Gittleson, Forrest S.
AU - Leung, Frederick C.C.
AU - Kim, Jongbaeg
AU - Taylor, Andre
AU - Lee, Hyung Sool
AU - Chae, Junseok
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology capable of directly converting the abundant biomass on the planet into electricity. Prior studies have adopted a variety of nanostructured materials with high surface area to volume ratio (SAV), yet the current and power density of these nanostructured materials do not deliver a significant leap over conventional MFCs. This study presents a novel approach to implement a miniaturized MFC with a high SAV of 4000 m-1 using three different CNT-based electrode materials: Vertically Aligned CNT (VACNT), Randomly Aligned CNT (RACNT), and Spin-Spray Layer-by-Layer (SSLbL) CNT. These CNT-based electrodes show unique biofilm morphology and thickness. The study of performance parameters of miniaturized MFCs with these CNT-electrodes are conducted with respect to a control bare gold electrode. The results show that CNT-based materials attract more exoelectrogens, Geobacter sp., than bare gold, yielding thicker biofilm formation. Among CNT-based electrodes, low sheet resistance electrodes result in thick biofilm generation and high current/power density. The miniaturized MFC having an SSLbL CNT anode exhibits a high volumetric power density of 3320 W m-3. This research may help lay the foundation for future research involving the optimization of MFCS with 2D and 3D nanostructured electrodes.
AB - Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology capable of directly converting the abundant biomass on the planet into electricity. Prior studies have adopted a variety of nanostructured materials with high surface area to volume ratio (SAV), yet the current and power density of these nanostructured materials do not deliver a significant leap over conventional MFCs. This study presents a novel approach to implement a miniaturized MFC with a high SAV of 4000 m-1 using three different CNT-based electrode materials: Vertically Aligned CNT (VACNT), Randomly Aligned CNT (RACNT), and Spin-Spray Layer-by-Layer (SSLbL) CNT. These CNT-based electrodes show unique biofilm morphology and thickness. The study of performance parameters of miniaturized MFCs with these CNT-electrodes are conducted with respect to a control bare gold electrode. The results show that CNT-based materials attract more exoelectrogens, Geobacter sp., than bare gold, yielding thicker biofilm formation. Among CNT-based electrodes, low sheet resistance electrodes result in thick biofilm generation and high current/power density. The miniaturized MFC having an SSLbL CNT anode exhibits a high volumetric power density of 3320 W m-3. This research may help lay the foundation for future research involving the optimization of MFCS with 2D and 3D nanostructured electrodes.
KW - Carbon nanotube
KW - Layer-by-Layer assembly
KW - Microbial fuel cell
KW - Surface area to volume ratio (SAV)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908102405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84908102405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.09.165
DO - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.09.165
M3 - Article
VL - 273
SP - 823
EP - 830
JO - Journal of Power Sources
JF - Journal of Power Sources
SN - 0378-7753
ER -