Mikro ölçekli güç üretimi için MEMS tabanlı mikrolitre hacimli mikrobiyal yakıt pili

Fuel cells can be a part of the solution to energy problem in the world. They can supply power in both macro and micro scales. Especially, MEMS based microscale microbial fuel cells (μMFC) may hold the answer to manufacture easy, cheap, fast, and mobile power sources and sensors. μMFCs are electrochemical devices converting chemical energy into electrical energy utilizing microorganisms as biocatalyst, instead of precious metal catalysts used in conventional fuel cells. They can be integrated to power, for example, lab-on-a-chip systems, or they can be used as stand-alone biosensors for sensing applications. This study focused on the development of a compact microbial fuel cell with microliter volume fabricated using silicon MEMS technology. The aim was to have high power density and low start-up time to be integrated as a power source for small devices. Several µMFC systems were operated under different conditions throughout the study. Effects of external load, anolyte type, operating conditions, and chemical modification of gold anode surfaces were compared in terms of start-up time and power densities using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Performances were evaluated using polarization curves, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microcopy. The results showed that µMFCs modified with cysteamine self-assembled monolayers resulted in more than a 50% reduction in start-up times due to better bacterial attachment on the anode surface. The volumetric power density (330 µW/cm3) was found to be similar in cysteamine-modified and bare gold µMFCs and was comparable to results reported in similar studies in the literature.