A microbial electrosynthesis reactor that runs MFC chemistry in reverse — electrons supplied to autotrophic acetogens drive CO₂ fixation into acetate, butyrate, and other platform chemicals. With renewable electricity as the driver, it functions as a direct CO₂-to-chemical converter.
Alleinstellungsmerkmale
Runs the MFC backwards: electrons in, CO₂ in, valuable chemicals out — a renewable-electricity-driven biological route to fuels and platform chemicals.
Funktionsweise
Electrons supplied to a cathode (often via H₂ as intermediate) drive autotrophic acetogens like Sporomusa ovata to fix CO₂ into acetate, butyrate, and longer-chain products. The anode runs water oxidation. With renewable electricity, the system functions as a direct CO₂-to-chemical converter — bio-electrocatalysis without gas-phase intermediates.
Leistungsbereich
Faradaic efficiency50–95% (acetate)
Production rate0.5–10 g/L/day acetate
Cathode current density1–20 mA/cm²
Selectivity80%+ achievable for acetate
Electrical-to-chemical efficiency30–60%
Forschungsstand
TRL 3–4. Leading groups: Ghent (Rabaey), Wageningen (Buisman), NREL, ARPA-E ECOSynBio cohort. Active Nature/ACS Energy Letters publications. Bottlenecks: cathode biofilm stability, scale-up of GDEs, product separation cost.
Reaktorgeometrie
H-cell or flat-plate reactor; cathode (carbon felt or gas-diffusion electrode, 1–100 cm²) in catholyte chamber with continuous CO₂ sparge; anode (Pt/IrO₂ on Ti) in anolyte chamber; AEM or CEM separator; reference electrode for potentiostat control.
Anwendungen
- CO₂-to-acetate / butyrate / ethanol
- Power-to-X bioprocessing
- Carbon-negative chemical production
- Biorefinery integration (substitute for fossil-derived feeds)
- Long-duration energy storage as liquid chemicals