Development of carbon free diffusion layer for activated carbon air cathode of microbial fuel cells.
The fabrication of activated carbon air cathodes for larger-scale microbial fuel cells requires a diffusion layer (DL) that is highly resistant to water leakage, oxygen permeable, and made using inexpensive materials. A hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane synthesized using a simple phase inversion process was examined as a low cost ($0.9/m(2)), carbon-free DL that prevented water leakage at high pressure heads compared to a polytetrafluoroethylene/carbon black DL ($11/m(2)). The power density produced with a PVDF (20%, w/v) DL membrane of 1400±7mW/m(2) was similar to that obtained using a wipe DL [cloth coated with poly(dimethylsiloxane)]. Water head tolerance reached 1.9m (∼19kPa) with no mesh supporter, and 2.1m (∼21kPa, maximum testing pressure) with a mesh supporter, compared to 0.2±0.05m for the wipe DL. The elimination of carbon black from the DL greatly simplified the fabrication procedure and further reduced overall cathode costs.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States.
Wulin
W
Yang
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States.
Kyoung-Yeol
KY
Kim
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States. Electronic address: blogan@psu.edu.
Bruce E
BE
Logan
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D002606:Charcoal; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D004566:Electrodes; D010100:Oxygen; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011145:Polyvinyls; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers
D002606:Charcoal; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D010100:Oxygen; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011145:Polyvinyls; C024865:polyvinylidene fluoride; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; C013830:baysilon
Air cathode; Carbon free diffusion layer; Microbial fuel cells; PVDF membranes