Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC)
One of the most intriguing renewable energy production methods being explored currently is electrical power generation by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). However, to make MFC technology economically feasible, cost efficient electrode manufacturing processes need to be proposed and demonstrated. In this...
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doaj-3f86020a3f7e4414a11632f36e1315262020-11-24T23:16:58ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442016-07-019760110.3390/ma9070601ma9070601Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC)Sandipam Srikanth0Deepak Pant1Xochitl Dominguez-Benetton2Inge Genné3Karolien Vanbroekhoven4Philippe Vermeiren5Yolanda Alvarez-Gallego6Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumSeparation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumSeparation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumSeparation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumSeparation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumSeparation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumSeparation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, MOL B-2400, BelgiumOne of the most intriguing renewable energy production methods being explored currently is electrical power generation by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). However, to make MFC technology economically feasible, cost efficient electrode manufacturing processes need to be proposed and demonstrated. In this context, VITO has developed an innovative electrode manufacturing process based on film casting and phase inversion. The screening and selection process of electrode compositions was done based on physicochemical properties of the active layer, which in turn maintained a close relation with their composition A dual hydrophilic-hydrophobic character in the active layer was achieved with values of εhydrophilic up to 10% while εTOTAL remained in the range 65 wt % to 75 wt %. Eventually, selected electrodes were tested as air cathodes for MFC in half cell and full cell modes. Reduction currents, up to −0.14 mA·cm2− at −100 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) were reached in long term experiments in the cathode half-cell. In full MFC, a maximum power density of 380 mW·m−2 was observed at 100 Ω external load.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/9/7/601gas diffusion electrode (GDE)bioelectrochemical systems (BES)microbial fuel cells (MFC)oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)low cost electrodes |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sandipam Srikanth Deepak Pant Xochitl Dominguez-Benetton Inge Genné Karolien Vanbroekhoven Philippe Vermeiren Yolanda Alvarez-Gallego |
spellingShingle |
Sandipam Srikanth Deepak Pant Xochitl Dominguez-Benetton Inge Genné Karolien Vanbroekhoven Philippe Vermeiren Yolanda Alvarez-Gallego Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) Materials gas diffusion electrode (GDE) bioelectrochemical systems (BES) microbial fuel cells (MFC) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) low cost electrodes |
author_facet |
Sandipam Srikanth Deepak Pant Xochitl Dominguez-Benetton Inge Genné Karolien Vanbroekhoven Philippe Vermeiren Yolanda Alvarez-Gallego |
author_sort |
Sandipam Srikanth |
title |
Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) |
title_short |
Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) |
title_full |
Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) |
title_fullStr |
Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Gas Diffusion Electrodes Manufactured by Casting Evaluation as Air Cathodes for Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) |
title_sort |
gas diffusion electrodes manufactured by casting evaluation as air cathodes for microbial fuel cells (mfc) |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Materials |
issn |
1996-1944 |
publishDate |
2016-07-01 |
description |
One of the most intriguing renewable energy production methods being explored currently is electrical power generation by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). However, to make MFC technology economically feasible, cost efficient electrode manufacturing processes need to be proposed and demonstrated. In this context, VITO has developed an innovative electrode manufacturing process based on film casting and phase inversion. The screening and selection process of electrode compositions was done based on physicochemical properties of the active layer, which in turn maintained a close relation with their composition A dual hydrophilic-hydrophobic character in the active layer was achieved with values of εhydrophilic up to 10% while εTOTAL remained in the range 65 wt % to 75 wt %. Eventually, selected electrodes were tested as air cathodes for MFC in half cell and full cell modes. Reduction currents, up to −0.14 mA·cm2− at −100 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) were reached in long term experiments in the cathode half-cell. In full MFC, a maximum power density of 380 mW·m−2 was observed at 100 Ω external load. |
topic |
gas diffusion electrode (GDE) bioelectrochemical systems (BES) microbial fuel cells (MFC) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) low cost electrodes |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/9/7/601 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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