Systematic screening of carbon-based anode materials for microbial fuel cells with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.
We present a systematic screening of carbon-based anode materials for microbial fuel cells with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Under anoxic conditions nanoporous activated carbon cloth is a superior anode material in terms of current density normalized to the projected anode area and anode volume (24.0±0.3 μA cm(-2) and 482±7 μA cm(-3) at -0.2 vs. SCE, respectively). The good performance can be attributed to the high specific surface area of the material, which is available for mediated electron transfer through self-secreted flavins. Under aerated conditions no influence of the specific surface area is observed, which we attribute to a shift from primary indirect electron transfer by mediators to direct electron transfer via adherent cells. Furthermore, we show that an aerated initial growth phase enhances the current density under subsequent anoxic conditions fivefold when compared to a similar experiment that was conducted under permanently anoxic conditions.
['Kipf|Elena|E|', 'Koch|Julia|J|', 'Geiger|Bettina|B|', 'Erben|Johannes|J|', 'Richter|Katrin|K|', 'Gescher|Johannes|J|', 'Zengerle|Roland|R|', 'Kerzenmacher|Sven|S|']
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources D002244:Carbon D004566:Electrodes D006108:Graphite D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration D060106:Lakes D008422:Materials Testing D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning D010100:Oxygen D020592:Shewanella D013499:Surface Properties D013997:Time Factors D062065:Waste Water D018508:Water Purification
Anode materials Microbial fuel cells Shewanella oneidensis Activated carbon cloth Aeration