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1788748 
Journal Article 
Improved cathode for high efficient microbial-catalyzed reduction in microbial electrosynthesis cells 
Nie, H; Zhang, T; Cui, M; Lu, H; Lovley, DR; Russell, TP 
2013 
1 
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
ISSN: 1463-9076
EISSN: 1463-9084 
15 
34 
14290-14294 
English 
23881181 
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.