The relationship between surface area and roughness of 3D printed highly structured anode surfaces for application in a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)

Abstract

The anode surface area and surface roughness of a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) are key performance parameters, as they link to the power density and the voltage produced by the cell. In this study 3D printed carbon-based anodes with pyramid structures are investigated to determine the influence of texture and structure on surface area. The dimensions of the base area of the 3D printed pyramids are typically 2 x 2 mm with apex heights between 1.5 and 2.0 mm. The surfaces are measured using confocal scanning. The characterisation of these highly structured surfaces is dependent on the optical measurement systems ability to return valid data from a highly sloping surface. A methodology is developed for the measurement of the local surface roughness of the features. The 3D printed surfaces are shown to have a local pyramid side wall roughness (Sa) of 60 to 100 μm, which is shown to increase the surface area of the electrode.

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Identifiers

ORCID for John McBride: orcid.org/0000-0002-3024-0326

ORCID for Thomas Bull: orcid.org/0000-0003-2777-0219

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