Enhancing initial bacterial adhesion to electrode materials in microbial fuel cell (MFC)

FUEL 128

Daqian Jiang, baikun@engr.uconn.edu, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, 261 Glenbrook Road, Storrs, CT 06269-2037 and Baikun Li, baikun@engr.uconn.edu, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connnecticut, 261 Glenbrook Road Unit 2037, Storrs, CT 06269-2037.
The main problems for MFC are low electron transfer and low power density. Current studies have only focused on mono-layer cell adhesion to electrode surface. This study was to enhance cell adhesion by modifying electrode materials. The hypothesis was that the modification (topography and chemical) of electrode surfaces could increase the contact area between cells and electrodes, and enhance cell adhesion, and finally lead to higher electron transfer in MFC. The initial adhesion of Geobacter sulfurreducens to eight (8) electrode materials was extensively tested. Carbon paper, As-doped silicon, carbon cloth, and graphite have been micro-fabricated based on cell shape in order to maximize the contact area for electron transfer. Electrode surface roughness and chemical composition were also modified to enhance cell adhesion. In addition, SEM and AFM were used to visualize the Geobacter adhesion, especially the role of pili on cell adhesion and long-range electron transfer.
 

Fuel Cell Technology: Biofuel Cells, Enzymatic and Microbial
8:25 AM-11:45 AM, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Boston Park Plaza -- Arlington Rm, Oral

Division of Fuel Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007