Checking graphite and stainless anodes with an experimental model of marine microbial fuel cell.
A procedure was proposed to mimic marine microbial fuel cell (MFC) in liquid phase. A graphite anode and a stainless steel cathode which have been proven, separately, to be efficient in MFC were investigated. A closed anodic compartment was inoculated with sediments, filled with deoxygenated seawater and fed with milk to recover the sediment's sulphide concentration. A stainless steel cathode, immersed in aerated seawater, used the marine biofilm formed on its surface to catalyze oxygen reduction. The cell implemented with a 0.02m(2)-graphite anode supplied around 0.10W/m(2) for 45 days. A power of 0.02W/m(2) was obtained after the anode replacement by a 0.06m(2)-stainless steel electrode. The cell lost its capacity to make a motor turn after one day of operation, but recovered its full efficiency after a few days in open circuit. The evolution of the kinetic properties of stainless steel was identified as responsible for the power limitation.
Laboratoire de Génie Chimique CNRS-INPT, 31106 Toulouse, France.
Claire
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Dumas
Alfonso
A
Mollica
Damien
D
Féron
Régine
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Basseguy
Luc
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Etcheverry
Alain
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Bergel
D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology*; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D013193:Stainless Steel / Q000737:chemistry*
D013193:Stainless Steel; D006108:Graphite