电极构型对空气阴极生物燃料电池发电性能的影响

在空气阴极生物燃料电池(ACMFC)中,从阴极扩散进入阳极的氧气能够被兼性微生物作为电子受体还原,进而导致电子损失严重.本研究利用葡萄糖作底物,对2种不同电极构型的空气阴极生物燃料电池ACMFC1和ACMFC2的功率输出和电子回收进行了比较研究.结果表明,ACMFC1的内阻为302.14Ω,阳极电位为-323mV,最大功率密度为3 070 mW/m³;ACMFC2的内阻为107.79Ω,阳极电位为-442mV,最大功率密度达到9 800 mW/m³.在间歇条件下,ACMFC2可以连续运行220h,电子回收率为30.1%;而ACMFC1只能运行不到50h,电子回收率为9.78%.因此,合理的设计空气阴极生物燃料电池电极构型可以减小内阻,增大电池电动势进而增大功率输出,提高电子回收率.

Electrode Configuration as a Factor Affecting Electricity Generation in Air-cathode Microbial Fuel Cell

In air-cathode microbial fuel cell (ACMFC), oxygen diffused into the reactor from cathode without PEM can be reduced as electron acceptor via aerobic respiration by facultative microorganisms, resulting in either a decreasing of power generation or electron loss. In this study, ACMFC1 and ACMFC2 with different electrode configuration were compared to examine power density and electron recovery from glucose. The results showed that ACMFC1 generated a maximum power density of 3 070mW/m3 with internal resistance of 302.141 and anode potential of -323mV; while maximum power density of 9 800mW/m3 for ACMFC2 was obtained with internal resistance of 107.79omega and anode potential of -442mV. ACMFC2 could sustain generating electricity for nearly 220 h (ERE of 30.1%), comparing with ACMFC1 of less than 50 h (ERE of 9.78%) under batch operation. Therefore, an improved design for electrode configuration of ACMFC can be performed to generate higher power with low internal resistance, meanwhile, achieve increasing electron recovery simultaneously.