Microbial fuel cell cathode assembly
First Claim
1. A microbial fuel cell cathode assembly comprising:
- a multilayer conductive porous substrate with macroporous and microporous structures inside coated by a catalyst, an electrically conductive catholyte wicking member, a catholyte-permeable rigid spacer with an ion-exchange membrane, an external catholyte supply reservoir, and a netlike foraminous member with a system of apertures;
wherein the wicking member contains no catalyst and is operable to wick the catalyst by catholyte received from a supply reservoir to form a film of the catholyte on a catalyst containing surface of the multilayer conductive porous substrate, wherein the spacer together with the foraminous member exert compressive forces on the multilayer conductive porous substrate and the catholyte wicking member, and wherein the microporous structure is defined by an internal porous structure of granules while the macroporous structure is defined by a space between individual granules which are pressed to each other by compressive forces thus determining gas pathways inside the multilayer conductive porous substrate with the catalyst.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a microbial fuel cell cathode assembly comprising a catalyst (6) and an electrically conductive catholyte wicking member (5) having a catalyst contacting surface (5a) in contact with the catalyst, an electrical contact region (5c) for contacting an electrical connector, and a catholyte supply region (5b) for receiving catholyte from a catholyte supply (9), wherein the electrically conductive catholyte wicking member is operable to wick received catholyte from the catholyte supply region to form a film of catholyte on a part of the surface of the catalyst such that a part of the surface of the catalyst is in contact with both the film of catholyte and a part of the surface of the catalyst is in contact with a gas pathway arranged to supply oxygen to the catalyst.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A microbial fuel cell cathode assembly comprising:
- a multilayer conductive porous substrate with macroporous and microporous structures inside coated by a catalyst, an electrically conductive catholyte wicking member, a catholyte-permeable rigid spacer with an ion-exchange membrane, an external catholyte supply reservoir, and a netlike foraminous member with a system of apertures;
wherein the wicking member contains no catalyst and is operable to wick the catalyst by catholyte received from a supply reservoir to form a film of the catholyte on a catalyst containing surface of the multilayer conductive porous substrate, wherein the spacer together with the foraminous member exert compressive forces on the multilayer conductive porous substrate and the catholyte wicking member, and wherein the microporous structure is defined by an internal porous structure of granules while the macroporous structure is defined by a space between individual granules which are pressed to each other by compressive forces thus determining gas pathways inside the multilayer conductive porous substrate with the catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- a multilayer conductive porous substrate with macroporous and microporous structures inside coated by a catalyst, an electrically conductive catholyte wicking member, a catholyte-permeable rigid spacer with an ion-exchange membrane, an external catholyte supply reservoir, and a netlike foraminous member with a system of apertures;
Specification