title: Characterization of a microfluidic microbial fuel cell as a power generator based on a nickel electrode.
abstract: This study reports the fabrication of a microfluidic microbial fuel cell (MFC) using nickel as a novel alternative for conventional electrodes and a non-phatogenic strain of Escherichia coli as the biocatalyst. The feasibility of a microfluidic MFC as an efficient power generator for production of bioelectricity from glucose and urea as organic substrates in human blood and urine for implantable medical devices (IMDs) was investigated. A maximum open circuit potential of 459 mV was achieved for the batch-fed microfluidic MFC. During continuous mode operation, a maximum power density of 104 Wm(-3) was obtained with nutrient broth. For the glucose-fed microfluidic MFC, the maximum power density of 5.2 μW cm(-2) obtained in this study is significantly greater than the power densities reported previously for microsized MFCs and glucose fuel cells. The maximum power density of 14 Wm(-3) obtained using urea indicates the successful performance of a microfluidic MFC using human excreta. It features high power density, self-regeneration, waste management and a low production cost (<$1), which suggest it as a promising alternative to conventional power supplies for IMDs. The performance of the microfluidic MFC as a power supply was characterized based on polarization behavior and cell potential in different substrates, operational modes, and concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Avenue, P.O. Box 11365-9465, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mahdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mardanpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Avenue, P.O. Box 11365-9465, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: yaghmaei@sharif.edu.
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yaghmaei
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods*; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009532:Nickel; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Escherichia coli; Glucose; Microfluidic microbial fuel cell; Nickel electrode