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Researchers modified clayware ceramic membranes with cation exchangers to enhance their performance in microbial fuel cells, achieving comparable proton mass transfer to commercial membranes.

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What they did

System
MFC

What worked

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Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop an economically viable clayware ceramic membrane that exhibits proton mass transfer comparable to the commercially available membrane (Nafion 117) for microbial fuel cell (MFC). The clayware ceramic membrane made from red soil was modified using cation exchangers like montmorillonite (MMT) and vermiculite (VC), and by spray coating of MMT composite with Nafion solution. Nafion‐117 (a commercial membrane) and membrane prepared using only red soil were used as a standard and control, respectively. Other membranes include 20% blend of MMT with red soil (SM); 20% VC with red soil (SV); 10% blend of each MMT and VC with red soil (SMV); and SM membrane spray‐coated with Nafion solution (SMN). The addition of cation exchangers enhances the performance of the clayware ceramic membranes as compared to the control, and coating of Nafion solution on SMN leads it to perform even better. Average open circuit voltage and average operating voltage for the SMN membranes were 670 ± 17.63 mV and 82 ± 5.69 mV, respectively, which are the best among all the fabricated membranes. The power density of the SMN membrane was 84.3 mW/m 3 which is five times that of the control. The study demonstrates that SMN membrane can be used as an alternate for more costly polymeric membranes in MFC.

Key findings

  • The addition of cation exchangers (MMT and VC) improved the performance of clayware ceramic membranes compared to the control.
  • Coating Nafion solution on the modified membrane (SMN) led to the best performance among all fabricated membranes.
  • The SMN membrane achieved an average open circuit voltage of 670 ± 17.63 mV and an average operating voltage of 82 ± 5.69 mV.

Keywords

MembraneNafionMicrobial fuel cellChemical engineeringCeramicProton exchange membrane fuel cell

Identifiers

DOI
10.1002/ep.13427
Journal
Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy
Year
2020