Combining phosphate species and stainless steel cathode to enhance hydrogen evolution in microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)

Microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) must work around neutral pH because of microbial catalysis at the anode. To develop a hydrogen evolution cathode that can work at neutral pH remains a major challenge in MEC technology. Voltammetry performed at pH 8.0 on rotating disk electrodes showed that the pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Electrochemistry communications 2010-02, Vol.12 (2), p.183-186
Main Authors: Munoz, Leonardo DeSilva, Erable, Benjamin, Etcheverry, Luc, Riess, Julien, Basséguy, Régine, Bergel, Alain
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative fuels. Production and utilization
Applied sciences
Chemical engineering
Chemical Sciences
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
Fuels
Hydrogen
Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)
Phosphate
Stainless steel
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Summary:Microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) must work around neutral pH because of microbial catalysis at the anode. To develop a hydrogen evolution cathode that can work at neutral pH remains a major challenge in MEC technology. Voltammetry performed at pH 8.0 on rotating disk electrodes showed that the presence of phosphate species straightforwardly multiplied the current density of hydrogen evolution, through the so-called cathodic deprotonation reaction. The mechanism was stable on stainless steel cathodes whereas it rapidly vanished on platinum. The phosphate/stainless steel system implemented in a 25 L MEC with a marine microbial anode led to hydrogen evolution rates of up to 4.9 L/h/m 2 under 0.8 V voltage, which were of the same order than the best performance values reported so far.
ISSN:1388-2481
1873-1902
DOI:10.1016/j.elecom.2009.11.017