Clark C. K. Liu
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:
November 15, 2004
Expires:
October 31, 2008 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:
$509342
Investigator(s):
Bruce Logan blogan@psu.edu (Principal Investigator)
Thomas Mallouk (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:
Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
110 Technology Center Building
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA 16802 814/865-1372
NSF Program(s):
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Field Application(s):
0313040 Water Pollution, 0316000 Trace Contaminants
Program Reference Code(s):
EGCH, 9187
Program Element Code(s):
1440
ABSTRACT
0401885
Logan
As bacteria metabolize organic substrates (electron donor), electrons are transferred via respiratory enzymes to an electron acceptor. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) take advantage of this basic metabolic process by transferring the electrons from the bacterial respiratory enzymes directly to an electrode (anode), which is wired to a second electrode (cathode) that is exposed to air (or the electron acceptor, O2) in a separate compartment. The flow of electrons between the electrodes creates a current, and forms the basis of the fuel cell. Although the amount of electricity generated is small at this point, the potential economic benefit for wastewater treatment is enormous. The investigators seek to systematically evaluate the effect of MFC design and configuration on power generation. The researchers specifically seek to identify system components that can be re-designed to improve economic viability of existing configurations, and to improve overall rates of energy generation. These include cathode-to-anode surface area ratio and spacing, PEM material, cathode material, and anode material.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH Next
(Showing: 1 - 20 of 23).
Cheng, S, H. Liu and B.E. Logan. 2006..
"Increased power generation in a continuous flow MFC with advective flow through the porous anode and reduced electrode spacing.,"
Environmental Science and Technology,
v.40,
2006,
p. 2426.
Cheng, S. and B.E. Logan..
"Ammonia treatment of carbon cloth anodes to enhance power generation of microbial fuel cells.,"
Electrochemical communications,
v.9,
2007,
p. 492.
Cheng, S., H. Liu and B.E. Logan..
"Power densities using different cathode catalysts (Pt and CoTMPP) and polymer binders (Nafion and PTFE) in single chamber microbial fuel cells.,"
Environmental Science and Technology,
v.40,
2006,
p. 364.
Cheng, S., H. Liu and B.E. Logan..
"Increased power and coulombic efficiency of single-chamber microbial fuel cells through an improved cathode structure.,"
Electrochemical communications,
v.8,
2006,
p. 489.
Ditzig, J., H. Liu and B.E. Logan.
"Production of hydrogen from domestic wastewater using a bioelectrochemically assisted microbial reactor (BEAMR),"
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy,
v.32,
2007,
p. 2296.
Gorby, Y.A. et al..
"Electrically conductive bacterial nanowires produced by Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 and other microorganisms.,"
PNAS,
v.103,
2006,
p. 11358.
Heilmann, J. and B.E. Logan..
"Production of electricity from proteins using a single chamber microbial fuel cell.,"
Water Environment Research,
v.78,
2006,
p. 531-537.
Kim, J.-R., B. Min and B.E. Logan..
"Evaluation of procedures to acclimate a microbial fuel cell for electricity production.,"
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,
v.68,
2005,
p. 23.
Kim, JR; Cheng, S; Oh, SE; Logan, BE.
"Power generation using different cation, anion, and ultrafiltration membranes in microbial fuel cells,"
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY,
v.41,
2007,
p. 1004
- 1009.
Kim, JR; Jung, SH; Regan, JM; Logan, BE.
"Electricity generation and microbial community analysis of alcohol powered microbial fuel cells,"
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY,
v.98,
2007,
p. 2568
- 2577.
Liu, H., S. Cheng, and B.E. Logan..
"Power generation in fed-batch microbial fuel cells as a function of ionic strength, temperature, and reactor configuration.,"
Environmental Science and Technology,
v.39,
2005,
p. 5488.
Liu, H., S. Grot and B.E. Logan..
"Electrochemically assisted microbial production of hydrogen from acetate.,"
Environmental Science and Technology,
v.39,
2005,
p. 4317.
Logan, B.E. and J.M. Regan..
"Feature Article: Microbial fuel cells-challenges and applications.,"
Environmental Science and Technology,
v.40,
2006,
p. 5172.
Logan, B.E., P. Aelterman, B. Hamelers, R. Rozendal, U. Schröeder, J. Keller, S. Freguiac, W. Verstraete, K. Rabaey. 2006..
"Microbial fuel cells: methodology and technology.,"
Environmental Science and Technology,
v.40,
2006,
p. 5181.
Logan, B; Cheng, S; Watson, V; Estadt, G.
"Graphite fiber brush anodes for increased power production in air-cathode microbial fuel cells,"
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY,
v.41,
2007,
p. 3341
- 3346.
Logan, BE; Regan, JM.
"Electricity-producing bacterial communities in microbial fuel cells,"
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY,
v.14,
2006,
p. 512
- 518.
Oh, S. and B.E. Logan..
"Proton exchange membrane and electrode surface areas as factors that affect power generation in microbial fuel cells.,"
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,
v.70,
2006,
p. 162.
Oh, S.E. and B.E Logan.
"Hydrogen and electricity production from a food processing wastewater using fermentation and microbial fuel cell technologies,"
Water Research,
v.39,
2005,
p. 4673.
Oh, SE; Logan, BE.
"Voltage reversal during microbial fuel cell stack operation,"
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES,
v.167,
2007,
p. 11
- 17.
Rezaei, F; Richard, TL; Brennan, RA; Logan, BE.
"Substrate-enhanced microbial fuel cells for improved remote power generation from sediment-based systems,"
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY,
v.41,
2007,
p. 4053
- 4058.
