Microbial fuel cell (MFC) research is a rapidly evolving field that lacks established terminology and methods for the analysis of system performance. This makes it difficult for researchers to compare devices on an equivalent basis. The construction and analysis of MFCs requires knowledge of different scientific and engineering fields, ranging from microbiology and electrochemistry to materials and environmental engineering. Describing MFC systems therefore involves an understanding of these different scientific and engineering principles. In this paper, we provide a review of the different materials and methods used to construct MFCs, techniques used to analyze system performance, and recommendations on what information to include in MFC studies and the most useful ways to present results.

Microbial Fuel Cells: Methodology and Technology†

Biochar as a sorbent for contaminant management in soil and water: a review.

https://cmapspublic3.ihmc.us/rid=1N3976C22-12M3P49-9V/Holladay%20et%20al.%20-%202009%20-%20An%20overview%20of%20hydrogen%20production%20technologies.pdf

An overview of hydrogen production technologies

https://www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/pdf/S0167-7799(05)00092-2.pdf

Microbial fuel cells: novel biotechnology for energy generation

A review of the substrates used in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production.

Electricity generation from swine wastewater using microbial fuel cells.

Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are often used in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to separate the liquid in the anode and cathode chambers while allowing protons to pass between the chambers. However, negatively or positively charged species present at high concentrations in the medium can also be used to maintain charge balance during power generation. An anion exchange membrane (AEM) produced the largest power density (up to 610 mW/m2) and Coulombic efficiency (72%) in MFCs relative to values achieved with a commonly used PEM (Nafion), a cation exchange membrane (CEM), or three different ultrafiltration (UF) membranes with molecular weight cut offs of 0.5K, 1K, and 3K Daltons in different types of MFCs. The increased performance of the AEM was due to proton charge-transfer facilitated by phosphate anions and low internal resistance. The type of membrane affected maximum power densities in two-chamber, air-cathode cube MFCs (C-MFCs) with low internal resistance (84-91 omega for all membranes except UF-0.5K) but not in two-chamber aqueous-cathode bottle MFCs (B-MFCs) due to their higher internal resistances (1230-1272 omega except UF-0.5K). The UF-0.5K membrane produced very high internal resistances (6009 omega, B-MFC; 1814omega, C-MFC) and was the least permeable to both oxygen (mass transfer coefficient of k(O) = 0.19 x 10(-4) cm/s) and acetate (k(A) = 0.89 x 10(-8) cm/s). Nafion was the most permeable membrane to oxygen (k(O) = 1.3 x 10(-4) cm/s), and the UF-3K membrane was the most permeable to acetate (k(A) = 7.2 x 10(-8) cm/s). Only a small percent of substrate was unaccounted for based on measured Coulombic efficiencies and estimates of biomass production and substrate losses using Nafion, CEM, and AEM membranes (4-8%), while a substantial portion of substrate was lost to unidentified processes for the UF membranes (40-89%). These results show that many types of membranes can be used in two-chambered MFCs, even membranes that transfer negatively charged species.

Power Generation Using Different Cation, Anion, and Ultrafiltration Membranes in Microbial Fuel Cells

Although microbial fuel cells (MFCs) generate much lower power densities than hydrogen fuel cells, the characteristics of the cathode can also substantially affect electricity generation. Cathodes used for MFCs are often either Pt-coated carbon electrodes immersed in water that use dissolved oxygen as the electron acceptor or they are plain carbon electrodes in a ferricyanide solution. The characteristics and performance of these two cathodes were compared using a two-chambered MFC. Power generation using the Pt-carbon cathode and dissolved oxygen (saturated) reached a maximum of 0.097 mW within 120 h after inoculation (wastewater sludge and 20 mM acetate) when the cathode was equal size to the anode (2.5 × 4.5 cm). Once stable power was generated after replacing the MFC with fresh medium (no sludge), the Coulombic efficiency ranged from 63 to 78%. Power was proportional to the dissolved oxygen concentration in a manner consistent with Monod-type kinetics, with a half saturation constant of KDO = 1.74 mg ...

Cathode performance as a factor in electricity generation in microbial fuel cells

Hydrogen and electricity production from a food processing wastewater using fermentation and microbial fuel cell technologies.

Recently, great attentions have been paid to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) due to their mild operating conditions and using variety of biodegradable substrates as fuel. The traditional MFC consisted of anode and cathode compartments but there are single chamber MFCs. Microorganisms actively catabolize substrate, and bioelectricities are generated. MFCs could be utilized as power generator in small devices such as biosensor. Besides the advantages of this technology, it still faces practical barriers such as low power and current density. In the present article different parts of MFC such as anode, cathode and membrane have been reviewed and to overcome the practical challenges in this field some practical options have been suggested. Also, this research review demonstrates the improvement of MFCs with summarization of their advantageous and possible applications in future application. Also, Different key factors affecting bioelectricity generation on MFCs were investigated and these key parameters are fully discussed.

Sang-Eun Oh

Papers

Electricity generation from swine wastewater using microbial fuel cells.

Power Generation Using Different Cation, Anion, and Ultrafiltration Membranes in Microbial Fuel Cells

Cathode performance as a factor in electricity generation in microbial fuel cells

Hydrogen and electricity production from a food processing wastewater using fermentation and microbial fuel cell technologies.

Microbial fuel cell as new technology for bioelectricity generation: A review