标题: Diffusion-layer-free air cathode based on ionic conductive hydrogel for microbial fuel cells

作者:Yi Li, Wulin Yang, Xue Liu, Weikai Guan, Enren Zhang, Xiaowen Shi, Xinquan Zhang, Xu Wang, Xuhui Mao

来源出版物: Science of The Total Environment 卷：743 文献号: 140836  出版时间：NOV 15,2020

摘要: High hydraulic pressure in air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can lead to severe cathodic water leakage and power reduction, thereby hindering the practical applications of MFCs. In this study, an alternative air cathode without a diffusion layer was developed using a cross-linked hydrogel, oxidized konjac glucomannan/2-hydroxypropytrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (OKH), for ion bridging. The cathode was placed horizontally to avoid hydraulic pressure on its surface. Ion transportation was sustained with a minimal OKH hydrogel loading of 10 mg/cm2. A maximum power density of 1.0 ± 0.04 W/m2 was achieved, which was only slightly lower than the 1.28 ± 0.02 W/m2 of common air cathodes. Moreover, the cost of the OKH hydrogel is only $0.12/m2, which can reduce ~85% of the cathode cost without using the advanced polyvinylidene fluoride diffusion layer. Therefore, the development of this new diffusion-layer-free air cathode using conductive ionic hydrogel provides a low-cost strategy for stable MFC operation, thereby demonstrating great potential for practical applications of MFC technology.

作者关键词: Microbial fuel cell; Air cathode; Hydrogel; Diffusion layer

地址:

[Yi Li, Weikai Guan, Xiaowen Shi, Xinquan Zhang, Xu Wang, Xuhui Mao]School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China

[Wulin Yang]Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States

[Xue Liu]Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China

[Enren Zhang]School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou City 225002, PR China

电子邮件地址: xu.wang@whu.edu.cn

影响因子：6.551