• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2010

Air-cathode microbial fuel cell consisted of 4 unit cells were operated under batch condition and electricity generation and microbial community structure variation were investigated, depending on separator types and cathode characteristics: A) PEM(Proton Exchange Membrane)-30% Wet proofing Carbon Cloth(WC), B) AEM(Anion Exchange Membrane-WC, C) CEM(Cation Exchange Membrane)-WC, D) PEM-No Wet proofing Carbon Cloth(NC). Maximum power densities of PEM-WC, AEM-WC and CEM-WC were 510.9, 522.1 and 504.8 $mW/m^2$, respectively. But PEM-NC showed relatively lower maximum power density of 218.3 $mW/m^2$. And PEM-WC, AEM-WC and CEM-WC showed similar internal resistances(20.0-28.2 ${\Omega}$). PCRDGGE, PCA and diversity indices showed that uncultured bacteria which reported in previous MFC studies were detected in suspended growth bacteria and attached growth bacteria would be affected not by separator type but by cathode characteristic. Thus, cathode characteristic can be one of the critical factors for power generation in air-cathode MFC using PEM, AEM, and CEM as separator.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.635-640
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• 2016

Although microbial fuel cell (MFC) can produce electricity from organics in wastewater, nitrogen removal is required for application of process for wastewater treatment plant. This study developed flat-panel air-cathode MFCs (FA-MFCs) comprised of two large separator electrode assemblies (SEAs) and evaluate total nitrogen removal according to three inoculum sources and pre-nitrification acclimation. The nitrification efficiencies were >99% regardless of inoculum sources under the phase for pre-nitrification acclimation. The total nitrogen removal efficiencies of FA-MFCs without pre-nitrification acclimation were the highest at the low organic conditions (<300 mg-COD/L) under the phase for nitrification and denitrification. The increase of organic concentration influenced the total nitrogen removal efficiency, positively. The organics were removed >95% but were not used for heterotrophic denitrification totally. This study suggests that application of FA-MFC system for wastewater treatment can allow the simultaneous removal of organic and nitrogen compounds, although this affects the low electricity production.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2010

Two types of microbial fuel cells(MFC) were continuously operated using synthetic wastewater. One was conventional two-chambered MFC using proton exchange membrane(PEM-MFC), the other was upflow type membraneless MFC(ML-MFC). Graphite felt was used as a anode in PEM-MFC. In membraneless MFC, two MFCs were operated using porous RVC(reticulated vitreous carbon) as a anode. Graphite felt was used as a cathode in all experiments. In experiment of PEM-MFC, the COD removal rate based on the surface area of anode was about $3.0g/m^2{\cdot}d$ regardless of organic loading rate. And the coulombic efficiency amounted to 22.4~23.4%. The acetic acid used as a fuel was transferred through PEM from the anodic chamber to cathodic chamber. The COD removal rate in ML-MFC were $9.3{\sim}10.1g/m^2{\cdot}d$, which indicated the characteristics of anode had no significant effects on COD removal. Coulombic efficiency were 3.6~3.7 % in both cases of ML-MFC experiments, which were relatively small. It was also observed that the microbial growth in cathodic chamber had an adverse effects on the electricity generation in membraneless MFC.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.499-504
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• 2015

The composite anodes of expanded graphite (EG) and multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) for microbial fuel cells were fabricated by using coal tar pitch (CTP) binder containing nickel (Ni), and the effect of the anodes with the binders on the performance of the MFCs were examined in a batch reactor. During the start-up of the MFCs, quick increase in voltage was observed after a short lag phase time, indicating that the CTP binder is biocompatible. The biomass attatched on the anode surface was more at higher Ni content in the binder, as well as at smaller amount of CTP binder for the fabrication of the anode. The internal resistance of the MFC was smaller for the anode with more biomass. Based on the results, the ideal combination of CTP and Ni for the CTP binder for anode was 2 g and 0.2 g, respectively. The maximum power density was $731.8mW/m^2$, which was higher 23.7% than the anode with Nafion binder as control. The CTP binder containing Ni for the fabrication of anode is a good alternative in terms of performance and economics of MFCs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

The composite anodes of exfoliated graphite (EG) and multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) were fabricated by using the binders with different content of epoxy in Nafion solution. The influence of the epoxy content in the anode binder on the performance of microbial fuel cell (MFC) was examined in a batch reactor. With the increase in the epoxy content in the anode binder, increase in physical binding force was observed, but at the same time an increase in the internal resistance of MFC was also observed. This was due to the increase in activation and ohmic resistance. For the anode binder without epoxy, the maximum power density was $1,892mW/m^2$, but a decrease in maximum power density was observed with the increase in the epoxy content in the anode binder. With the epoxy content of 50% in the anode binder, a decrease in the maximum power density to $1,425mW/m^2$ was observed, which about 75.3% of the anode binder without epoxy is. However, the material consisting of the same amount of epoxy and Nafion solution is a good alternative for anode binder in terms of durability and economics of MFC.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2014

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) were operated with livestock wastes and PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells) MEA (Membrane and Electrode Assembly). OCV of MFC with mixtures of microbial was higher than that of MFC with single microbial. MFC using pig wastes showed highest OCV (540 mV) among cow waste, chicken waste and duck waste. And the power density of MFC using pig waste was $963mW/m^2$. Contamination of MEA with $Na^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$, $K^+$ ion and impurities was the one cause for low performance of MFC during operation.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.213-227
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• 2020

As unrenewable energy resources have depleted over the years, the demand for renewable energy has increased promoting research for more effective methods to produce renewable energy. The field of fuel cell development, specifically microbial fuel cells (MFCs), has developed because of the dual performance potential of the technology. MFCs convert power by facilitating electrode-reducing organisms such as bacteria (microbes) as a catalyst to produce electrical energy. MFCs use domestic and industrial wastewater as fuel to initiate the process, purifying the wastewater as a result. Proton exchange membranes (PEM) play a crucial role in MFCs as a separator between the anodes and cathodes chambers allowing only protons to effectively pass through. Nafion is the commercially used PEM for MFCs, but there are many setbacks: such as cost, production time, and less effective proton conductivity properties. In this review there will be largely two parts. Firstly, several newly developed PEM are discussed as possible replacements of Nafion. Secondly, MFC based on PEM, blended PEM and composite PEM are summarized.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.498-504
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• 2008

Metal-reducing bacterium, Geobacter sulfurreducens is available for mediator-less microbial fuel cell (MFC) because it has biological nanowires(pili) which transfer electrons to outside the cell. In this study, in the anode chamber of the MFC system using G. sulfurreducens, the concentrations of NaCl, sodium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate as electrolytes were mainly optimized for the generation of electricity from acetate. 0.4%(w/v) NaClO and 0.5M $H_2SO_4$ could be utilized for the sterilization of acrylic plates and proton exchange membrane (major construction materials of the MFC reactor), respectively. When NaCl concentration in anode phosphate buffer increased from 5 to 50 mM, power density increased from 6 to $20\;mW/m^2$. However, with increasing sodium phosphate buffer concentration from 5 to 50 mM, power density significantly decreased from 18 to $1\;mW/m^2$. Twenty-four mM sodium bicarbonate did not affect electricity generation as well as pH under 50 mM phosphate buffer condition. Optimized anode chamber of MFC using G. sulfurreducens generated relatively high power density ($20\;mW/m^2$) with the maximum coulombic efficiency (41.3%).

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2024

Plant Microbial Fuel Cells (P-MFCs) are biomass-based energy technologies that generate electricity from plant and root microbial communities and are suitable for natural fundamental solutions considering sustainable environments. In order to develop P-MFC technology suitable for domestic waterfront space, it is necessary to analyze international research trends first. Therefore, in this study, 700 P-MFC-related research papers were investigated in Web of Science, and the core keywords were derived using VOSviewer, a word analysis program, and the research trends were analyzed. First, P-MFC-related research has been on the rise since 1998, especially since the mid to late 2010s. The number of papers submitted by each country was "China," "U.S." and "India." Since the 2010s, interest in P-MFCs has increased, and the number of publications in the Philippines, Ukraine, and Mexico, which have abundant waterfront space and wetland environments, is increasing. Secondly, from the perspective of research trends in different periods, 1998-2015 mainly carried out microbial fuel cell performance verification research in different environments. The 2016-2020 period focuses on the specific conditions of microbial fuel cell use, the structure of P-MFC and how it develops. From 2021 to 2023, specific research on constraints and efficiency improvement in the development of P-MFC was carried out. The P-MFC-related international research trends identified through this study can be used as useful data for developing technologies suitable for domestic waterfront space in the future. In addition to this study, further research is needed on research trends and levels in subsectors, and in order to develop and revitalize P-MFC technologies in Korea, research on field applicability should be expanded and policies and systems improved.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.693-704
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• 2009