Biological fuel cells with nanoporous membranes

• US 8,048,547 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Biffinger, Justin C., Ringeisen, Bradley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walker; Keith
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anthony; Julian
• Application Number:
  US11/978,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20090169924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 429/2, 429/401, 429/484, 429/492, 977/948
• US Class Current: 429/2
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/027 Nanofiltration
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/948 Energy storage/generating using nanostructure, e.g. fuel cell, battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A fuel cell comprising an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a nanoporous membrane between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, wherein the nanoporous membrane sequesters and isolates a microbe in the anode chamber. The nanoporous membrane allows nutrients to flow actively or passively from the cathode chamber to the anode chamber and can be modified by a thin film composite (TFC) to create a TFC nanofiltration membrane. The nanoporous membrane can have a pore size from about 100 nm to about 1000 nm. A method of making a fuel cell comprising configuring a nanoporous membrane between an anode chamber and a cathode chamber wherein the nanoporous membrane sequesters and isolates a microbe in the anode chamber and can be used to protect the cathode chamber.

Claims

1. A fuel cell comprising:

an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a nanoporous membrane having a pore size from about 100 nm to about 1000 nm between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, wherein the nanoporous membrane sequesters a microbe in the anode chamber and wherein the nanoporous membrane allows nutrients to flow from the cathode chamber to the anode chamber.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the nanoporous membrane is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, regenerative cellulose, poly(ether sulfone), polysulfone, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), polyvinylidene fluoride, and cellulose ester.

3. The fuel cell of claim 2 wherein the nanoporous membrane is modified by a thin film composite (TFC) and the resulting membrane functions as a TFC nanofiltration membrane.

4. The fuel cell of claim 2 wherein the nanoporous membrane protects the cathode from biofouling by sequestering the metal reducing microbes at the anode.

5. The fuel cell of claim 2 wherein the electrode material is composed of one selected from the group consisting of carbon paper, graphite felt, carbon microparticles, carbon nanoparticles, and reticulated vitreous carbon in the chamber and connected with a titanium wire.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the anode chamber is an anaerobic anode chamber with about 0.1 ml to about 2000 ml of a solution of bacteria and a conductive anode with either enzymes attached or microbial biofilm formation.

7. The fuel cell of claim 6 wherein the cathode chamber is oxygen rich with a conductive cathode and a catalyst that promotes reduction reactions.

8. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the anode is connected to a culture of bacteria capable of externalizing electrons through their membranes and periodically stimulated with nutrients.

9. The fuel cell of claim 8 wherein said culture is one selected from the group consisting of Shewanella species, Geobacter species, and microbial consortia conditioned to generate electricity.

10. The fuel cell of claim 1 wherein a reaction at the cathode is the reduction of oxygen using 100 mM phosphate buffer with a pH of 7.2 on an unmodified or modified carbon electrode.

11. The fuel cell of claim 10 wherein the modified carbon cathode is fabricated by coating the electrode with a solution of 60% water, 35% isopropanol, 5% of a 5% nafion solution, and 10 mg of a 20% platinum particles with vulcanized carbon.

12. A method of making a fuel cell comprising:

configuring a nanoporous membrane having a pore size from about 100 nm to about 1000 nm between an anode chamber and a cathode chamber wherein the nanoporous membrane sequesters a microbe in the anode chamber wherein the nanoporous membrane allows nutrients to flow from the cathode chamber to the anode chamber.

13. The method claim 12 wherein the nanoporous membrane is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, regenerative cellulose, poly(ether sulfone), polysulfone, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), polyvinylidene fluoride, and cellulose ester and wherein the nanoporous membrane is modified by a thin film composite (TFC) and the resulting membrane functions as a TFC nanofiltration membrane.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the anode chamber is an anaerobic anode chamber with about 0.1 ml to about 2000 ml of a solution of bacteria and a conductive anode with either enzymes attached or microbial biofilm formation and wherein the cathode chamber is oxygen rich with a conductive cathode and a catalyst that promotes reduction reactions.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrode chamber is about 1.2 mL and wherein the electrode material is composed of one selected from the group consisting of graphite felt, carbon paper, graphite paper, graphite brush and reticulated vitreous carbon in the chamber and connected with a titanium wire.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the anode is connected to a culture of bacteria capable of externalizing electrons through their membranes and periodically stimulated with nutrients.

17. A fuel cell comprising:

an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a nanoporous membrane having a pore size from about 100 nm to about 1000 nm between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, wherein the nanoporous membrane sequesters a microbe in the anode chamber and isolates from environmental or non-electron producing contaminants and wherein the membrane allows for diffusion of nutrients and waste through the membrane passively or without being pumped.

18. The fuel cell of claim 17 wherein the nanoporous membrane is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polycarbonate, regenerative cellulose, poly(ether sulfone), polysulfone, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), polyvinylidene fluoride, and cellulose ester and wherein the nanoporous membrane is modified by a thin film composite (TFC) and the resulting membrane functions as a TFC nanofiltration membrane and wherein the electrode material is composed of one selected from the group consisting of carbon paper, graphite felt, carbon microparticles, carbon nanoparticles, and reticulated vitreous carbon in the chamber and connected with a titanium wire and wherein the anode is connected to a culture of bacteria capable of externalizing electrons through their membranes and periodically stimulated with nutrients and wherein said volume of said anode chamber and said cathode chamber are minimized to only the volume needed by covering said anode and cathode respectively.