Miniature microbial fuel cells incorporating nanoporous sterilization membranes

ENVR 234

Justin C. Biffinger, justin.biffinger@nrl.navy.mil1, Ricky Ray, ricky.ray@nrlssc.navy.mil2, Brenda Little3, and Bradley R. Ringeisen, bradley.ringeisen@nrl.navy.mil1. (1) Alternative Energy Section, Code 6113, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375-5342, (2) Oceanography Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Building 1009, John C. Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, (3) Ocean Science Branch, Code 7330, Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529
The use of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) in biological fuel cells limits the diversity of novel designs for increasing output power or enabling autonomous function in diverse aerobic environments. This presentation will show that selected nanoporous polymer filters (nylon, cellulose or polycarbonate) can be used effectively in place of PEMs in a miniature-microbial fuel cell (mini-MFC, device cross-section: 2 cm2), generating a power density of 16 W/m3 with an uncoated graphite felt oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) cathode. In particular, the incorporation of polycarbonate or nylon membranes into MFC designs produced comparable power and durability to Nafion®-117 membranes. High power densities were also observed for novel larger (5 cm3 anode volume, 0.6 W/m3) and smaller (0.025 cm3 projected geometric volume, average power density: 10 W/m3, micro-MFC) chamber-less and pump-less MFCs. The effects of stacking these chamber-less MFCs will also be discussed. This presentation will show that using sterilization filters within MFCs are a practical solution for decreasing the cost of biological fuel cells while developing new design features for powering long-term autonomous devices.
 

New Energy Technology
1:30 PM-3:00 PM, Thursday, March 29, 2007 McCormick Place South -- Room S106B, Level 1, Oral

Division of Environmental Chemistry

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007