Improved cathode for high efficient microbial-catalyzed reduction in microbial electrosynthesis cells

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP Vol. 15; no. 34; pp. 1429 - 14294
• Main Authors: Nie, Huarong, Zhang, Tian, Cui, Mengmeng, Lu, Haiyun, Lovley, Derek R, Russell, Thomas P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 14.09.2013
• Subjects: Acetates; Biocatalysis; Bioelectric Energy Sources - microbiology; Biofilms; Carbon Dioxide - chemistry; Catalysis; Cathodes; Chemistry; Electrochemical Techniques; Electrodes; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Graphite; Microorganisms; Nanowires; Nanowires - chemistry; Nanowires - ultrastructure; Nickel; Nickel - chemistry; Oxidation-Reduction; Reduction; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Veillonellaceae - physiology; Chemical reduction; Catalytic reaction
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/c3cp52697f

Microbial electrosynthesis cells (MECs) are devices wherein microorganisms can electrochemically interact with electrodes, directly donating or accepting electrons from electrode surfaces. Here, we developed a novel cathode by using nickel nanowires anchored to graphite for the improvement of microbial-catalyzed reduction in MEC cathode chamber. This porous nickel-nanowire-network-coated graphite electrode increased the interfacial area and interfacial interactions between the cathode surface and the microbial biofilm. A 2.3 fold increase in bio-reduction rate over the untreated graphite was observed. Around 282 mM day −1 m −2 of acetate resulting from the bio-reduction of carbon dioxide by Sporomusa was produced with 82 ± 14% of the electrons consumed being recovered in acetate. A novel cathode, nickel nanowire coated graphite, was developed to increase reduction rate of CO 2 in microbial electrosynthesis cells.