Abstract:
Currently the low out put is one of the major issues associated with the Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) technology. Amongst various factors, the choice of anode is the fundamental aspect to define the efficiency of MFC. An anode with better conduction, stability, and high specific area can serve well for the purpose as more bacteria can adhere to its surface and grow in the form of a biofilm, generating electric current. Graphite has widely been used in MFC as anode. Modification of its surface with a suitable material can further enhance its performance. In a quest for that betterment, we have utilized a polyaniline material, doped with sulfuric acid and dodecylbenzensulphonic acid, for modification of graphite surface and utilized this electrode as anode in the MFC reactor. An increase of 56 % in the bioelectrochemical current density and a denser film formation was observed for the polyaniline modified electrode during an operation time of 22 days. The thickness of the biofilm in its completely dry state was 27 and 9.5 micrometers, respectively, for the coated and bare graphite electrodes. The coated electrode surface was less prone to damage in the MFC environment, as depicted by Tafel curves. The enhanced performance of polyaniline coated electrode is explained on the basis of better electrochemical characteristics of PANI coated graphite in comparison with the bare one.
Page(s):
244-244
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on International Conference on Food and Applied Sciences (ICFAS-23) 3-5 August 23, Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023
Keywords:
polyaniline
,
Microbial fuel cells
,
graphite anode
,
current density