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Enhanced Performance of a Microbial Fuel Cell with a Capacitive Bioanode and Removal of Cr (VI) Using the Intermittent Operation

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Abstract

This study investigated a system which simultaneously produced electricity and stored energy in the MFC integrated MnO2-modified capacitive bioanode. Compared to the noncapacitive anode, the maximum power density of MFC with MnO2-modified bioanode reached 16.47 W m−3, which was 3.5 times higher than that of the bare anode (4.71 W m−3). During the charging-discharging experiment, the MFC with a capacitance bioanode has a higher average peak current density of 5.06 mA cm−2 and 36 times larger than that with the bare bioanode. With the capacitive electrode, it is possible to let the MFC at the same time for production and storage of renewable electricity. Then two different operations (intermittent operation and continuous operation) of the MFC with a capacitive bioanode were studied to degrade Cr (VI) in cathode chamber. Results showed that the Cr (VI) removal rates of intermittent operation are much higher than that of continuous operation under the same time in the closed circuit state. This is due to the good ability of storing and releasing electron of the biological capacitor with MnO2 modified material. And this study showed that MFC with a capacitive bioanode is better adapted to treat heavy metal pollutants by intermittent mode.

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Acknowledgment

The project was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21476053 and 51179033), the Doctoral Program of the Ministry of Education (No. 20132304110027), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and Special Fund Research Program for Talents of Science Technology Innovation in Harbin (No. 2009RFXXG204).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 15001, China

    Yuyang Wang, Qing Wen, Ye Chen, Jinling Yin & Tigang Duan

Authors
  1. Yuyang Wang
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  2. Qing Wen
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  3. Ye Chen
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  4. Jinling Yin
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  5. Tigang Duan
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Qing Wen or Ye Chen.

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Highlights

• A capacitive bioanode was made by electrodepositing MnO2 on carbon felt.

• The MFC’s power density improved 3.5 times with the capacitive bioanode.

• MFC with a capacitive bioanode was better adapted to treat heavy metal pollutants by using the intermittent mode.

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Wang, Y., Wen, Q., Chen, Y. et al. Enhanced Performance of a Microbial Fuel Cell with a Capacitive Bioanode and Removal of Cr (VI) Using the Intermittent Operation. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 180, 1372–1385 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-016-2173-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-016-2173-x

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