Enhanced surface functionality and microbial fuel cell performance of chitosan membranes through phosphorylation.
The effects of plasticization and cross-linking on the performance of chitosan as promising proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for bioelectricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were investigated. The physico-chemical properties of chitosan (CS), sorbitol-chitosan (S-CS), phosphorylated-chitosan (CS-P) and phosphorylated-sorbitol-chitosan (S-CS-P) membranes were investigated by FESEM-EDS, FTIR-ATR, XRD, TGA, tensile strength and sorption studies. The performance of the fabricated PEMs was assessed by power density and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Maximum power densities achieved were 130.03, 20.76, 94.59 and 7.42mW/m(2) for CS-P, S-CS-P, S-CS and CS membranes respectively. Phosphorylation of the CS membranes increased CEC and tensile strength, attributed to an increase in bonded amide and phosphate ionic surface groups. Further, 49.07% COD removal from municipal wastewater was achieved with CS-P membranes. Thus, through chemical modifications, the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of natural abundant biopolymer chitosan can be enhanced for its use as an environmentally sustainable PEM in MFC technology.
Department of Environmental Engineering, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: shima.holder@gmail.com.
Shima L
SL
Holder
Department of Environmental Engineering, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: chl@mail.dyu.edu.tw.
Ching-Hwa
CH
Lee
Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, 11000, Barbados. Electronic address: popurishrinu@gmail.com.
Srinivasa R
SR
Popuri
Department of Environmental Engineering, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: f0105059@cloud.dyu.edu.tw.
Meng-Xin
MX
Zhuang
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D007474:Ion Exchange; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D048271:Chitosan
Bioelectricity; Biopolymer; Chitosan; Microbial fuel cell; Phosphorylation; Proton exchange membrane