Journal
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
Volume 249, Issue -, Pages 1080-1084Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.10.109
Keywords
Cathode fouling; PVDF bonded separator; Phase inversion; Microbial fuel cells
Funding
- Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) [ER-2216]
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program [W9132T-16-2-0014]
- US Army Engineer Research and Development Center
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Microbial fuel cell (MFC) cathodes rapidly foul when treating domestic wastewater, substantially reducing power production over time. Here a wipe separator was chemically bonded to an activated carbon air cathode using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to mitigate cathode fouling and extend cathode performance over time. MFCs with separator-bonded cathodes produced a maximum power density of 190 +/- 30 mW m(-2) after 2 months of operation using domestic wastewater, which was similar to 220% higher than controls (60 +/- 50 mW m(-2)) with separators that were not chemically bonded to the cathode. Less biomass (protein) was measured on the bonded separator surface than the non-bonded separator, indicating chemical bonding reduced external bio-fouling. Salt precipitation that contributed to internal fouling was also reduced using separator-bonded cathodes. Overall, the separator-bonded cathodes showed better performance over time by mitigating both external bio-fouling and internal salt fouling.
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