LIGHT-POWERED MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS

• US 20080213632A1
• Filed: 02/11/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel R. Noguera, Isabel Tejedor, Katherine D. Mcmahon, Marc A. Anderson, Rodolfo E. Perez, Timothy J. Donohue, Yun Kyung Cho
• Original Assignee: Daniel R. Noguera, Isabel Tejedor, Katherine D. Mcmahon, Marc A. Anderson, Rodolfo E. Perez, Timothy J. Donohue, Yun Kyung Cho
• Inventors: Donohue, Timothy J., Cho, Yun Kyung, Noguera, Daniel R., Anderson, Marc A., Perez, Rodolfo E., McMahon, Katherine D., Tejedor, Isabel
• Application Number:
  US12/029,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20080213632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/2
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2059 comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 14/005 Photoelectrochemical storage cells light sensitive devices H01G9/20, semiconductors sensitive to light H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/761 Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Devices and methods for generating electricity utilizing a light-powered microbial fuel cell that includes a light-admitting reaction chamber containing a biological catalyst, such as a photosynthetic bacteria, in a growth medium, an anode and cathode disposed upon or within the reaction chamber, and a conductive material in electrical communication between the anode and cathode. The anode includes an oxidation catalyst, while the cathode includes a reduction catalyst that is accessible to oxygen gas. Preferably, the devices and methods utilize a single light-admitting chamber within which both cathodic and anodic reactions take place.

Claims

1. A light-powered microbial fuel cell, comprising:

a light-admitting reaction chamber containing a photosynthetic organism in a growth medium, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber is a single reaction chamber;

an anode disposed within the reaction chamber, the anode having an oxidation catalyst disposed thereon; and

a cathode in fluid and electrical communication with the anode, wherein the cathode includes a reduction catalyst disposed thereon that is accessible to oxygen gas.

2. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz and plastic.

3. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber further comprises a vent for emitting a gas produced within the reaction chamber.

4. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the photosynthetic organism is a member selected from the group consisting of Rhodospirillaceae, Acetobacteraceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Hyphomicrobiaceae, Rhodobiaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, Rhodocyclaceae and Comamonadaceae.

5. The microbial fuel cell of claim 4, wherein the Rhodobacteraceae is Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

6. The microbial fuel cell of claim 4, wherein the Rhodobacteraceae is Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain 2.4.1.

7. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the growth medium comprises a single carbon source.

8. The microbial fuel cell of claim 7, wherein the single carbon source is selected from the group consisting of succinate, propionate and glucose.

9. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the growth medium is limited for a fixed nitrogen source.

10. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the anode is selected from the group consisting of carbon and graphite.

11. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the anode is optically transparent.

12. The microbial fuel cell of claim 11, wherein the anode comprises glass coated with a conductant.

13. The microbial fuel cell of claim 12, wherein the conductant is a member selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium tin oxide, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof.

14. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon and graphite.

15. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode is an air cathode that is permeable to oxygen gas.

16. Tire microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode is permeable to nitrogen gas.

17. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the oxidation catalyst is platinum.

18. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the reduction catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum titanium dioxide mixture, co-tetra-methyl phenylporphyrin (CoTMPP) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc).

19. The microbial fuel cell of claim 1, wherein reaction chamber allows passage of wavelengths of light ranging from about 600 nanometers to about 1000 nanometers.

20. A method for producing electricity in a light-powered microbial fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a light-admitting reaction chamber containing in operative arrangement a photosynthetic organism in a growth medium, an anode, a cathode in electrical and fluid communication with the anode, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber is a single chamber in which both anodic and cathodic reactions occur, and wherein the anode includes an oxidation catalyst disposed thereon and the cathode includes a reduction catalyst disposed thereon that is accessible to oxygen gas; and

(b) exposing the microbial fuel cell to light.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz and plastic.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber further comprises a vent for emitting a gas produced within the chamber.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the photosynthetic organism is a member selected from the group consisting of Rhodospirillaceae, Acetobacteraceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Hyphomicrobiaceae, Rhodobiaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, Rhodocyclaceae and Comamonadaceae.

24. The microbial fuel cell of claim 23, wherein the Rhodobacteraceae is Rhodobacter spharoides.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the Rhodobacteraceae is Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain 2.4.1.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the growth medium comprises a single carbon source.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the single carbon source is selected from the group consisting of succinate, propionate and glucose.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the growth medium is limited for a fixed nitrogen source.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the anode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon and graphite.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the anode is optically transparent.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the anode comprises glass coated with a conductant.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the conductant is selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium tin oxide, titanium dioxide and mixtures thereof.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the cathode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon and graphite.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the cathode is an air cathode that is permeable to oxygen gas.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the cathode is permeable to nitrogen gas.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein the oxidation catalyst is platinum.

37. The method of claim 20, wherein the reduction catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum titanium dioxide mixture, co-tetra-methyl phenylporphyrin (CoTMPP) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc).

38. The method of claim 20, wherein the light-admitting reaction chamber allows passage of wavelengths of light ranging from about 600 nanometers to about 1000 nanometers.