TY - JOUR
T1 - Flow dependent performance of microfluidic microbial fuel cells
AU - Vigolo, Daniele
AU - Al-Housseiny, Talal T.
AU - Shen, Yi
AU - Akinlawon, Fiyinfoluwa O.
AU - Al-Housseiny, Saif T.
AU - Hobson, Ronald K.
AU - Sahu, Amaresh
AU - Bedkowski, Katherine I.
AU - Dichristina, Thomas J.
AU - Stone, Howard A.
PY - 2014/6/28
Y1 - 2014/6/28
N2 - The integration of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) in a microfluidic geometry can significantly enhance the power density of these cells, which would have more active bacteria per unit volume. Moreover, microfluidic MFCs can be operated in a continuous mode as opposed to the traditional batch-fed mode. Here we investigate the effect of fluid flow on the performance of microfluidic MFCs. The growth and the structure of the bacterial biofilm depend to a large extent on the shear stress of the flow. We report the existence of a range of flow rates for which MFCs can achieve maximum voltage output. When operated under these optimal conditions, the power density of our microfluidic MFC is about 15 times that of a similar-size batch MFC. Furthermore, this optimum suggests a correlation between the behaviour of bacteria and fluid flow.
AB - The integration of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) in a microfluidic geometry can significantly enhance the power density of these cells, which would have more active bacteria per unit volume. Moreover, microfluidic MFCs can be operated in a continuous mode as opposed to the traditional batch-fed mode. Here we investigate the effect of fluid flow on the performance of microfluidic MFCs. The growth and the structure of the bacterial biofilm depend to a large extent on the shear stress of the flow. We report the existence of a range of flow rates for which MFCs can achieve maximum voltage output. When operated under these optimal conditions, the power density of our microfluidic MFC is about 15 times that of a similar-size batch MFC. Furthermore, this optimum suggests a correlation between the behaviour of bacteria and fluid flow.
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U2 - 10.1039/c4cp01086h
DO - 10.1039/c4cp01086h
M3 - Article
C2 - 24832908
AN - SCOPUS:84901769154
SN - 1463-9076
VL - 16
SP - 12535
EP - 12543
JO - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
JF - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
IS - 24
ER -