Microbial fuel cell - DIY Elbonian style

Did you know that a microbial fuel cell can be easily prepared using just a few things from your kitchen. Electrodes were prepared using carbon from water filter, stainless steel mesh, and epoxy glue. Fuel was mixture of mud and waste water. A few MFC elements can light a LED for a very long time (8 month tested so far). The nanoporous electrodes here show much better power performance than graphite felt electrodes used in some MFC constructions.

These MFC cathodes can be obtained from superaccu.com

How the electricity is generated?
Maximum voltage is up to 930 mV, maximum short-circuit current density is 13 mA. There are two nanoporous carbon electrodes: one is placed at the bottom (anode), the other is placed at the top (cathode). Oxygen can access to the cathode, whereas there is anaerobic (oxygen free) medium around anode, where bacteria work hard. Several bacteria may contribute, for example Escherichia coli can release some compounds through its outer cell membrane, which oxidize at anode. Shewanella putrefaciens and Geobacter may attach onto the carbon and directly give away electrons. Approximate electricity production reaction is the following:
cathode: O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e− = 2 H2O
anode (where (CH2O)n is a hydrocarbon): (CH2O)n + n H2O − 4n e− = n CO2↑ + 4n H+

Thanks: all people from Tartu, EUSO

mikrobielle Brennstoffzelle
pile à combustible microbienne
pila de combustible microbiana
микробные топливные элементы
微生物燃料電池
мікробні паливні елементи
mikroobne kütuseelement ehk sitapatarei
célula combustível microbial

See also our other chemistry experiments at
http://www.chemicum.com/chemistry-videos

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