title: Continuous flow membrane-less air cathode microbial fuel cell with spunbonded olefin diffusion layer.
abstract: The power production performance of a membrane-less air-cathode microbial fuel cell was evaluated for 53 days. Anode and cathode electrodes and the micro-fiber cloth separator were configured by sandwiching the separator between two electrodes. In addition, the air-facing side of the cathode was covered with a spunbonded olefin sheet instead of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating to control oxygen diffusion and water loss. The configuration resulted in a low resistance of about 4Ω and a maximum power density of 750 mW/m2. However, as a result of a gradual decrease in the cathode potential, maximum power density decreased to 280 mW/m2. The declining power output was attributed to loss of platinum catalyst (8.26%) and biomass growth (38.44%) on the cathode. Coulombic efficiencies over 55% and no water leakage showed that the spunbonded olefin sheet covering the air-facing side of the cathode can be a cost-effective alternative to PTFE coating.
authors.affiliation: Marmara University, Environmental Engineering Department, 34722 Goztepe, Istanbul, Turkey. evrentugtas@gmail.com
authors.forename: Adile Evren
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Tugtas
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cavdar
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Calli
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000388:Air; D000475:Alkenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D004058:Diffusion; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000475:Alkenes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial