A polypyrrole/anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonic disodium salt (PPy/AQDS)-modified anode to improve performance of microbial fuel cells

• Published in: Biosensors & bioelectronics Vol. 25; no. 6; pp. 1516 - 1520
• Main Authors: Feng, Chunhua, Ma, Le, Li, Fangbai, Mai, Hongjian, Lang, Xuemei, Fan, Shuanshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.02.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anodes; Anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonic disodium salt; Anthraquinones - chemistry; Bacteria; Biocatalyst; Biochemical fuel cells; Bioelectric Energy Sources - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Carbon; Electrodes; Electropolymerization; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbial fuel cell; Microorganisms; Performance enhancement; Polymers - chemistry; Polypyrrole; Polypyrroles; Pyrroles - chemistry; Reproducibility of Results; Scanning electron microscopy; Sensitivity and Specificity; Shewanella - physiology; Microbial fuel cell; Anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonic disodium salt; Polypyrrole; Electropolymerization; Biocatalyst; biofuel cell; Anthraquinone; Anode; Optimization; Pyrrole polymer
• ISSN: 0956-5663; 1873-4235; 1873-4235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2009.10.009

This study reports a new approach of improving performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by using a polypyrrole/anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonic disodium salt (PPy/AQDS)-modified anode. The immobilization of AQDS on a carbon felt anode was accomplished by electropolymerization of pyrrole while using AQDS as the dopant. The dual-chamber MFC operated with this modified anode in the presence of Shewanella decolorationis S12 showed the maximum power density of 1303 mW m −2, which was 13 times larger than that obtained from the MFC equipped with an unmodified anode. Evidence from cyclic voltammerty (CV) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated that the increase in power generation was assigned to the increased surface area of anode, the enhanced electron-transfer efficiency from the bacteria to the anode via immobilized AQDS, and an increase in the number of bacteria attached to anode.