Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
1585935 
Journal Article 
Porous ceramic anode materials for photo-microbial fuel cells 
Thorne, R; Hu, H; Schneider, K; Bombelli, P; Fisher, A; Peter, LM; Dent, A; Cameron, PJ 
2011 
Yes 
Journal of Materials Chemistry
ISSN: 0959-9428
EISSN: 1364-5501 
21 
44 
18055-18060 
WOS:000296390600073 
This study focuses on porous ceramics as a promising new
type of anode material for photo-microbial fuel cells (p-MFCs). The anodes were made from
titanium dioxide and chemical vapour deposition was used to coat them with a layer of fluorine
doped tin oxide (FTO) to make them conducting. Chlorella vulgaris biofilms were grown in the
millimetre sized pores of the ceramic electrodes, producing an extensive extra cellular matrix
that was anchored directly to the electrode surface. In contrast algal cells grown on carbon felt
appeared misshapen and lacked a continuous extra cellular matrix. A preliminary comparison of
different anodes in p-MFCs showed that the power density was similar to 16 times higher on a
ceramic anode compared to the best performing carbon anode. Good power densities were also found
for algae grown directly onto FTO coated glass, but in contrast to the ceramic anodes the biofilm
did not adhere strongly to the planar surface and was easily removed or damaged.