Boosting the performance of a zero-gap flow microbial fuel cell by immobilized redox mediators.

Abstract

Although microbial fuel cells (MFC) could be a promising energy source, their implementation is largely limited by low performance. There are several approaches to overcome this issue. For example, MFC performance can be enhanced using redox mediators (RM) capable of transferring electrons between microorganisms and MFC electrodes. The other, quite novel approach is to use zero-gap electrochemical cells, which minimize the distance between MFC electrodes and, therefore, its internal resistance. This work aims to investigate the compatibility of these approaches. First, a template electropolymerization of polypyrrole (PPy) on carbon felt was carried out in the presence of 2,7-anthraquinone disulfonate (AQDS) acting as an RM. These materials were then used as the anode of a zero-gap double chamber MFC inoculated with sediment from a natural water body and continuously fed with artificial wastewater. On the scales of 45 and 64 days, such cells exhibited power density of up to 900 mW m-2, while unmodified cells demonstrated values tens of times lower, indicating that RM appears to extensively incorporate weak electricigens from the inoculant in the MFC operation. PPy/AQDS electrodes retain electroactive properties during long-term tests, resulting in a theoretical turnover rate of AQDS molecules up to 590.