title: Improved performance of membrane free single-chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cells with nitric acid and ethylenediamine surface modified activated carbon fiber felt anodes.
abstract: Surface modifications of anode materials are important for enhancing power generation of microbial fuel cell (MFC). Membrane free single-chamber air-cathode MFCs, MFC-A and MFC-N, were constructed using activated carbon fiber felt (ACF) anodes treated by nitric acid and ethylenediamine (EDA), respectively. Experimental results showed that the start-up time to achieve the maximum voltages for the MFC-A and MFC-N was shortened by 45% and 51%, respectively as compared to that for MFC-AT equipped with an unmodified anode. Moreover, the power output of MFCs with modified anodes was significantly improved. In comparison with MFC-AT which had a maximum power density of 1304 mW/m(2), the MFC-N achieved a maximum power density of 1641 mW/m(2). The nitric acid-treated anode in MFC-A increased the power density by 58% reaching 2066 mW/m(2). XPS analysis of the treated and untreated anode materials indicated that the power enhancement was attributable to the changes of surface functional groups.
authors.affiliation: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China. nwzhu@scut.edu.cn
authors.forename: Nengwu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Pingxiao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology*; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D005029:Ethylenediamines; D002606:Charcoal; D017942:Nitric Acid; C031234:ethylenediamine