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Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) is a significant form of material degradation caused by the metabolic activities of microorganisms. This phenomenon poses substantial challenges across various industries, including oil and gas, maritime, and water treatment sectors.MIC occurs when microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, and fungi, colonize metal surfaces, forming biofilms that alter the local electrochemical environment. These biofilms can lead to the production of corrosive...
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A Nanofiber-Based Gas Diffusion Layer for Improved Performance in Air Cathode Microbial Fuel Cells.

Giulia Massaglia1,2, Tommaso Serra1,2, Fabrizio Candido Pirri1,2

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Summary

Researchers developed a novel nanostructured gas diffusion layer (nano-GDL) for microbial fuel cells. This innovation significantly boosts power output and energy recovery in air cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cells (a-SCMFCs).

Keywords:
electrospinningfuel cellgas diffusion layerlaser-induced nanomaterialsmicrobial fuel cellsoxygen reduction reactiontriple phase boundary

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Area of Science:

  • Energy Conversion and Storage
  • Materials Science
  • Electrochemistry

Background:

  • Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer a sustainable energy source, but their performance is often limited by inefficient oxygen reduction.
  • Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) are critical components in MFCs, facilitating oxygen transport and managing water.
  • Conventional GDLs face challenges in optimizing oxygen diffusion and preventing electrolyte leakage, hindering MFC efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and evaluate a novel nanostructured gas diffusion layer (nano-GDL) for enhanced air cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cell (a-SCMFC) performance.
  • To improve the oxygen reduction reaction kinetics and overall energy output of a-SCMFCs.
  • To create a GDL with tailored properties for efficient water management and gas transport.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of nano-GDLs using electrospinning of polyvinylidene-difluoride (PVDF) and cellulose nanofibers directly onto a carbon-based electrode.
  • Design of a dual-layer nano-GDL: a water-resistant PVDF outer layer and an oxygen-permeable cellulose inner layer.
  • Performance testing of a-SCMFCs utilizing the novel nano-GDLs and comparing them against standard PTFE-based GDLs.

Main Results:

  • The nano-GDL significantly enhanced the maximum current density of a-SCMFCs to 132.2 ± 10.8 mA m-2, more than double that of standard GDLs (58.5 ± 2.4 mA m-2).
  • The energy recovery (EF) factor for a-SCMFCs with nano-GDL was 60.83 mJ m-3, an order of magnitude higher than the 3.92 mJ m-3 achieved with standard GDL.
  • The nanostructured design effectively balanced water management and oxygen supply, promoting efficient direct oxygen reduction.

Conclusions:

  • The developed nano-GDL represents a significant advancement in GDL technology for a-SCMFCs.
  • The unique nanostructure and material composition of the nano-GDL lead to substantially improved power generation and energy efficiency.
  • This approach offers a promising strategy for optimizing the performance of microbial fuel cells and other electrochemical devices.