Comprehensive Study on Ceramic Membranes for Low-Cost Microbial Fuel Cells
Comprehensive Study on Ceramic Membranes for Low-Cost Microbial Fuel Cells
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) made with different types of ceramic membranes were investigated to find a low-cost alternative to commercially available proton exchange membranes. The MFCs operated with fresh human urine as the fuel. Pyrophyllite and earthenware produced the best performance to reach power densities of 6.93 and 6.85 W m−3, respectively, whereas mullite and alumina achieved power densities of 4.98 and 2.60 W m−3, respectively. The results indicate the dependence of bio-film growth and activity on the type of ceramic membrane applied. The most favourable conditions were created in earthenware MFCs. The performance of the ceramic membranes was related to their physical and chemical properties determined by environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The cost of mullite, earthenware, pyrophyllite and alumina was estimated to be 13.61, 4.14, 387.96 and 177.03 GBP m−2, respectively. The results indicate that earthenware and mullite are good substitutes for commercially available proton exchange membranes, which makes the MFC technology accessible in developing countries.
biomass, ceramics, energy conversion, fuel cells, membranes
88-96
Pasternak, Grzegorz
fd3857b4-1e43-4fa7-aab8-0162c02b2c1b
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Ieropoulos, Ioannis
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
8 January 2016
Pasternak, Grzegorz
fd3857b4-1e43-4fa7-aab8-0162c02b2c1b
Greenman, John
eb3d9b82-7cac-4442-9301-f34884ae4a16
Ieropoulos, Ioannis
6c580270-3e08-430a-9f49-7fbe869daf13
Pasternak, Grzegorz, Greenman, John and Ieropoulos, Ioannis
(2016)
Comprehensive Study on Ceramic Membranes for Low-Cost Microbial Fuel Cells.
ChemSusChem, 9 (1), .
(doi:10.1002/cssc.201501320).
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) made with different types of ceramic membranes were investigated to find a low-cost alternative to commercially available proton exchange membranes. The MFCs operated with fresh human urine as the fuel. Pyrophyllite and earthenware produced the best performance to reach power densities of 6.93 and 6.85 W m−3, respectively, whereas mullite and alumina achieved power densities of 4.98 and 2.60 W m−3, respectively. The results indicate the dependence of bio-film growth and activity on the type of ceramic membrane applied. The most favourable conditions were created in earthenware MFCs. The performance of the ceramic membranes was related to their physical and chemical properties determined by environmental scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The cost of mullite, earthenware, pyrophyllite and alumina was estimated to be 13.61, 4.14, 387.96 and 177.03 GBP m−2, respectively. The results indicate that earthenware and mullite are good substitutes for commercially available proton exchange membranes, which makes the MFC technology accessible in developing countries.
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ChemSusChem - 2015 - Pasternak - Comprehensive Study on Ceramic Membranes for Low%u2010Cost Microbial Fuel Cells
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Published date: 8 January 2016
Keywords:
biomass, ceramics, energy conversion, fuel cells, membranes
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 454062
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/454062
ISSN: 1864-5631
PURE UUID: d71264c8-3e62-4e3a-8a3e-b881405b71e7
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Date deposited: 27 Jan 2022 19:23
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:10
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Author:
Grzegorz Pasternak
Author:
John Greenman
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