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Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "D2: Electrochem: Batteries, Fuel Cells, Capacitors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 17959

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alexandra M.F.R. Pinto

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: PEM fuel cells; direct alcohol fuel cells; desalination fuel cells; microbial fuel cells; electrolyzers; hydrogen production and storage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Vânia B. Oliveira

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: chemical and biological fuel cells, namely direct methanol and ethanol fuel cells; PEM fuel cells; microbial fuel cells and desalination fuel cells; mass transfer; mathematical modeling and electrochemical characterization techniques
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Guest Editor is inviting submissions to a Special Issue of Energies on the subject area of “Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells”. It is well known that the use of fossil fuels to produce energy leads to two major problems. One is that fossil fuels are limited in amount, and the other are the environmental problems that emerge due to their use. Therefore, in addition to the improvement of conventional systems toward more efficient and environmentally friendly systems, new technologies are needed to progressively replace fossil sources. Fuel cells (FCs) are a promising technology to achieve this, since they can efficiently generate electricity with a smallest environmental impact. However, their lower power outputs and durability and higher costs remain problematic and present the main challenges toward their commercialization and massive use.

This Special Issue aims to stand out among similar titles available on recent trends and developments in chemical and biological fuel cells and shall discuss the key work done in order to improve FC performance based on their limitations regarding both fundamental and technological issues. This Special Issue has the main goal to be a valuable reference for FCs and energy researchers, designers, and manufacturers. Therefore, the topics of interest for publication include but are not limited to:

Chemical fuel cells;
Biological fuel cells;
Optimization of operation conditions;
Optimization of design conditions;
Basic modeling;
Advanced modeling;
Diagnostic techniques;
Durability and lifetime;
Economic evaluation;
Scale-up;
New materials;
Application.

Prof. Dr. Alexandra M.F.R. Pinto
Dr. Vânia Sofia Brochado de Oliveira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Chemical fuel cells
Direct methanol fuel cells
Direct ethanol fuel cells
Hydrogen fuel cells
Biological fuel cells
Microbial fuel cells
Basic modeling
Advanced modeling
Simulation
Optimization
Power output
Efficiency
Durability
Applications
Fundamentals
Developments

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 3495 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Optimization of Microbial Fuel Cells and Evaluation of a New Air-Breathing Cathode Based on Carbon Felt Modified with a Hydrogel—Ion Jelly^®

by Rui N. L. Carvalho, Luisa L. Monteiro, Silvia A. Sousa, Sudarsu V. Ramanaiah, Jorge H. Leitão, Cristina M. Cordas and Luis P. Fonseca

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4238; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104238 - 22 May 2023

Viewed by 1898

Abstract

The increased demand for alternative sustainable energy sources has boosted research in the field of fuel cells (FC). Among these, microbial fuel cells (MFC), based on microbial anodes and different types of cathodes, have been the subject of renewed interest due to their ability to simultaneously perform wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. Several different MFCs have been proposed in this work using different conditions and configurations, namely cathode materials, membranes, external resistances, and microbial composition, among other factors. This work reports the design and optimization of MFC performance and evaluates a hydrogel (Ion Jelly^®) modified air-breathing cathode, with and without an immobilized laccase enzyme. This MFC configuration was also compared with other MFC configuration performances, namely abiotic and biocathodes, concerning wastewater treatment and electricity generation. Similar efficiencies in COD reduction, voltage (375 mV), PD (48 mW/m²), CD (130 mA/m²), and OCP (534 mV) were obtained. The results point out the important role of Ion Jelly^® in improving the MFC air-breathing cathode performance as it has the advantage that its electroconductivity properties can be designed before modifying the cathode electrodes. The biofilm on MFC anodic electrodes presented a lower microbial diversity than the wastewater treatment effluent used as inocula, and inclusively Geobacteracea was also identified due to the high microbial selective niches constituted by MFC systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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16 pages, 3695 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on the Catalyst-Coated Membrane of a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer

by Amadeu Gomes Rocha, Rui Ferreira, Daniela Falcão and Alexandra M. F. R. Pinto

Energies 2022, 15(21), 7937; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15217937 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1964

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology may regulate the electrical grid connected to intermittent power sources. The growing pace of R&D in alternative components is widening manufacturing methods and testing procedures across the literature. This turns the comparison between performances into a more laborious task, especially for those starting research in this area, increasing the importance of testing components accessible to all. In this study, an electrochemical characterization is performed on a commercial single-cell PEM water electrolyzer with commercial catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) and one prepared in-house. Two membrane thicknesses and the effect of different catalysts are assessed. The thicker membrane, Nafion 117, operates with 5% greater ohmic overvoltage than the thinner Nafion 115, resulting in up to 1.5% higher voltage for the former membrane. Equivalent Ir black CCMs provided by different suppliers and one prepared in-house perform similarly. Regarding the influence of the anode catalyst, Ir black, IrRuOx and IrRuOx/Pt have similar performance, whereas IrOx has worse performance. Compared with Ir black, the mix of IrRuOx/Pt operated with 1.5% lower voltage at 2.6 A cm⁻², whereas IrRuOx performed with 2% lower voltage at 0.3 A cm⁻². A temporary increase in performance is observed when the anode is purged with hydrogen gas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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12 pages, 2803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study of Power Generation and COD Removal Efficiency by Air Cathode Microbial Fuel Cell Using Shewanella baltica 20

by Subhashis Das and Rajnish Kaur Calay

Energies 2022, 15(11), 4152; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15114152 - 5 Jun 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2257

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a kind of bioreactor for generating electricity, facilitated by exoelectrogens while treating wastewater. The present article focuses on the performance of an air cathode plexiglass MFC in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and power output by performing two sets of experiments. The proton exchange membrane and electrode materials were Nafion 117 and carbon felts, whereas, for stable biofilm formation on the anode surface, a pure culture of Shewanella baltica 20 was used. Firstly, sterile Luria-Bertani (LB) media containing lactate, ranging from 20 to 100 mM, was continuously fed to an MFC, and a maximum power density of 55 mW/m² was observed. Similarly, artificial wastewater with COD ranging from 3250 mg/L to 10,272 mg/L was supplied to the MFC in the second set of experiments. In this case, the maximum power density and COD removal efficiency were 12 mW/m² and 57%, respectively. In both cases, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 1.5 h. It was found that electricity generation depends on the characteristics of the wastewater. These initial findings confirm that the design aspects of an MFC, i.e., surface area to volume ratio, and external resistance with respect to the quality of influent need to be optimised to improve the MFC’s performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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15 pages, 2261 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improved Microbial Fuel Cell Performance by Engineering E. coli for Enhanced Affinity to Gold

by Justin P. Jahnke, Deborah A. Sarkes, Jessica L. Liba, James J. Sumner and Dimitra N. Stratis-Cullum

Energies 2021, 14(17), 5389; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14175389 - 30 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1902

Abstract

Microorganism affinity for surfaces can be controlled by introducing material binding motifs into proteins such as fimbrial tip and outer membrane proteins. Here, controlled surface affinity is used to manipulate and enhance electrical power production in a typical bioelectrochemical system, a microbial fuel cell (MFC). Specifically, gold-binding motifs of various affinity were introduced into two scaffolds in Escherichia coli: eCPX, a modified version of outer membrane protein X (OmpX), and FimH, the tip protein of the fimbriae. The behavior of these strains on gold electrodes was examined in small-scale (240 µL) MFCs and 40 mL U-tube MFCs. A clear correlation between the affinity of a strain for a gold surface and the peak voltage produced during MFC operation is shown in the small-scale MFCs; strains displaying peptides with high affinity for gold generate potentials greater than 80 mV while strains displaying peptides with minimal affinity to gold produce potentials around 30 mV. In the larger MFCs, E. coli strains with high affinity to gold exhibit power densities up to 0.27 mW/m², approximately a 10-fold increase over unengineered strains lacking displayed peptides. Moreover, in the case of the modified FimH strains, this increased power production is sustained for five days. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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Review

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47 pages, 4395 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in the Development of Nanocatalysts for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

by Maria H. de Sá, Catarina S. Moreira, Alexandra M. F. R. Pinto and Vânia B. Oliveira

Energies 2022, 15(17), 6335; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176335 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2386

Abstract

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have attracted much attention due to their potential application as a power source for portable devices. Their simple construction and operation, associated with compact design, high energy density, and relatively high energy-conversion efficiency, give the DMFCs an advantage over other promising energy production technologies in terms of portability. Nowadays, research on DMFCs has received increased attention in both academics and industries. However, many challenges remain before these systems become commercial, including their costs and durability. As a key material with a high-value cost, noble metal catalysts for both the anode and cathode sides face several problems, which hinder the commercialisation of DMFCs. This paper provides a detailed comprehensive review of recent progress in the development of nanocatalysts (NCs) for the anode and cathode reactions of DMFCs, based on Platinum, Platinum-hybrid, and Platinum-free materials. Particular attention is devoted to the systematisation of published experimental results tested in DMFC devices since 2015, with an emphasis on passive DMFC systems. In addition, a dedicated section was created to include modelling/theoretical studies. Some open problems and remaining challenges are also highlighted in the final section. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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53 pages, 2649 KiB

Open AccessReview

Organic Waste Substrates for Bioenergy Production via Microbial Fuel Cells: A Key Point Review

by Maria G. Savvidou, Pavlos K. Pandis, Diomi Mamma, Georgia Sourkouni and Christos Argirusis

Energies 2022, 15(15), 5616; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15155616 - 2 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3461

Abstract

High-energy consumption globally has raised questions about the low environmentally friendly and high-cost processes used until now for energy production. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) may support alternative more economically and environmentally favorable ways of bioenergy production based on their advantage of using waste. MFCs work as bio-electrochemical devices that consume organic substrates in order for the electrogenic bacteria and/or enzyme cultures to produce electricity and simultaneously lower the environmental hazardous value of waste such as COD. The utilization of organic waste as fuels in MFCs has opened a new research path for testing a variety of by-products from several industry sectors. This review presents several organic waste substrates that can be employed as fuels in MFCs for bioenergy generation and the effect of their usage on power density, COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal, and Coulombic efficiency enhancement. Moreover, a demonstration and comparison of the different types of mixed waste regarding their efficiency for energy generation via MFCs are presented. Future perspectives for manufacturing and cost analysis plans can support scale-up processes fulfilling waste-treatment efficiency and energy-output densities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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14 pages, 5152 KiB

Open AccessReview

Perovskite-Based Nanocomposite Electrocatalysts: An Alternative to Platinum ORR Catalyst in Microbial Fuel Cell Cathodes

by Gopa Nandikes, Shaik Gouse Peera and Lakhveer Singh

Energies 2022, 15(1), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010272 - 31 Dec 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3091

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are biochemical systems having the benefit of producing green energy through the microbial degradation of organic contaminants in wastewater. The efficiency of MFCs largely depends on the cathode oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A preferable ORR catalyst must have good oxygen reduction kinetics, high conductivity and durability, together with cost-effectiveness. Platinum-based electrodes are considered a state-of-the-art ORR catalyst. However, the scarcity and higher cost of Pt are the main challenges for the commercialization of MFCs; therefore, in search of alternative, cost-effective catalysts, those such as doped carbons and transition-metal-based electrocatalysts have been researched for more than a decade. Recently, perovskite-oxide-based nanocomposites have emerged as a potential ORR catalyst due to their versatile elemental composition, molecular mechanism and the scope of nanoengineering for further developments. In this article, we discuss various studies conducted and opportunities associated with perovskite-based catalysts for ORR in MFCs. Special focus is given to a basic understanding of the ORR reaction mechanism through oxygen vacancy, modification of its microstructure by introducing alkaline earth metals, electron transfer pathways and the synergistic effect of perovskite and carbon. At the end, we also propose various challenges and prospects to further improve the ORR activity of perovskite-based catalysts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments and Emerging Trends in Chemical and Biological Fuel Cells)

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