Towards an engineering-oriented strategy for building microbial anodes for microbial fuel cells

Pocaznoi, Diana; Erable, Benjamin; Etcheverry, Luc; Délia, Marie-Line; Bergel, Alain

doi:10.1039/c2cp42571h

Cited by 45 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(80 reference statements)

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“…General trend is alkalinization throughout the experiment (from 7.8 to 9.9). According to (Pocaznoi et al, 2012b), this alkalinization is not linked to the electrochemical reactions but was due to the spontaneous evolution of the non-buffered compost leachate. Momentary acidification of the solution can be observed when acetate is consumed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This problem remains an essential stumbling block in the development of large MFCs. Up to now, the power density provided by MFCs equipped with abiotic oxygen-reducing air cathodes has levelled off around 7 W/m 2 (Fan et al, 2008;Borole et al, 2011;Pocaznoi et al, 2012b) for small-sized cells and decreases drastically as soon as the system size increases (Santoro et al, 2013). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Protons accumulation during anodic phase turned to advantage for oxygen reduction during cathodic phase in reversible bioelectrodes

Blanchet

Pécastaings

Erable

et al. 2014

Bioresource Technology

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OATAO is an open access repository that collects the work of Toulouse researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible. This is an author-deposited version published in : http://oatao.univ-toulouse.fr/ Eprints ID : 13877 b s t r a c tReversible bioelectrodes were designed by alternating acetate and oxygen supply. It was demonstrated that the protons produced and accumulated inside the biofilm during the anodic phase greatly favored the oxygen reduction reaction when the electrode was switched to become the biocathode. Protons accumulation, which hindered the bioanode operation, thus became an advantage for the biocathode. The bioanodes, formed from garden compost leachate under constant polarization at À0.2 V vs. SCE, were able to support long exposure to forced aeration, with only a slight alteration of their anodic efficiency. They produced a current density of 16 ± 1.7 A/m 2 for acetate oxidation and up to À0.4 A/m 2 for oxygen reduction. Analysis of the microbial communities by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing revealed strong selection of Chloroflexi (49 ± 1%), which was not observed for conventional bioanodes not exposed to oxygen. Chloroflexi were found as the dominant phylum of electroactive biofilms for the first time.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protons accumulation during anodic phase turned to advantage for oxygen reduction during cathodic phase in reversible bioelectrodes

Blanchet

Pécastaings

Erable

et al. 2014

Bioresource Technology

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“…The power densities usually vary between approximately 100 and 600 μW cm −2 76, 77. The highest values were obtained with an electrolyte with a high solution conductivity and large anodes 43, 55, 78, 79.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of Iron(II) Phthalocyanine‐Derived Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts for High‐Power‐Density Microbial Fuel Cells

et al. 2017

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Iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) deposited onto two different carbonaceous supports was synthesized through an unconventional pyrolysis‐free method. The obtained materials were studied in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in neutral media through incorporation in an air‐breathing cathode structure and tested in an operating microbial fuel cell (MFC) configuration. Rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) analysis revealed high performances of the Fe‐based catalysts compared with that of activated carbon (AC). The FePc supported on Black‐Pearl carbon black [Fe‐BP(N)] exhibits the highest performance in terms of its more positive onset potential, positive shift of the half‐wave potential, and higher limiting current as well as the highest power density in the operating MFC of (243±7) μW cm−2, which was 33 % higher than that of FePc supported on nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes (Fe‐CNT(N); 182±5 μW cm−2). The power density generated by Fe‐BP(N) was 92 % higher than that of the MFC utilizing AC; therefore, the utilization of platinum group metal‐free catalysts can boost the performances of MFCs significantly.

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“…Unfortunately, the formation of microbial anodes from natural media often takes a long time, up to several weeks [18,19]. This is a hindrance for researchers, who need to carry out multiple experiments, and for engineers, who seek to shorten the start-up time of the related processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microbial anodes were formed in a leachate of garden compost under controlled potential at À0.20 V/SCE [18,19]. Four reactors were implemented at 40 C and four others at 25 C. Microbial anodes formed at 40 C produced higher current densities than those formed at 25 C (Fig.…”

Section: Microbial Anode Formation In Garden Compost Leachatementioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing the temperature is a relevant strategy to form microbial anodes intended to work at room temperature

Oliot¹,

Erable²,

Solan³

et al. 2017

Electrochimica Acta

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OATAO is an open access repository that collects the work of Toulouse researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible. Reducing the time required for the formation of microbial anodes from environmental inocula is a great challenge. The possibility of reaching this objective by increasing the temperature during the bioanode preparation was investigated here. Microbial anodes were formed at 25 C and 40 C under controlled potential with successive acetate additions. At 25 C, around 40 days were required to perform three acetate batches, which led to current density of 9.4 ± 2 A.m À2 , while at 40 C, 20 days were sufficient to complete three similar batches, leading to 22.9 ± 4.2 A.m À2 . The bioanodes formed at 40 C revealed three redox systems and those formed at 25 C only one. The temperature also impacted the biofilm structure, which was less compact at 40 C. When the bioanodes formed at 40 C were switched to 25 C, they produced current densities similar to those of bioanodes formed at 25 C; they recovered the single redox system that was developed by the bioanodes formed at 25 C and the difference in biofilm structures was mitigated. It is consequently fully appropriate to accelerate the formation of microbial anodes by increasing the temperatures to 40 C even if they are finally intended to operate at room temperature.

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Towards an engineering-oriented strategy for building microbial anodes for microbial fuel cells

Cited by 45 publications

References 54 publications

Protons accumulation during anodic phase turned to advantage for oxygen reduction during cathodic phase in reversible bioelectrodes

Protons accumulation during anodic phase turned to advantage for oxygen reduction during cathodic phase in reversible bioelectrodes

Design of Iron(II) Phthalocyanine‐Derived Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts for High‐Power‐Density Microbial Fuel Cells

Increasing the temperature is a relevant strategy to form microbial anodes intended to work at room temperature

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