Performance of Methylococcus capsulatus based microbial and enzymatic proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Nalin Samarasinghe, Nicole Longtin and Sandun Fernando

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 195, issue C, 17-27

Abstract: Activation of methane in low-temperature fuel cells has been a challenge due to its thermodynamic stability. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of using a pure culture of Methylococcus capsulatus microbial fuel cell in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell in whole-cell and crude enzymatic modes. The impact of time and mediators of the microbial fuel cells (MFCs) was studied. Additionally, a mathematical model was used to predict and explain the fuel cell's electrochemical performance and mechanic details. The fuel cell generated an open-circuit voltage of 378.91 mV and a power density of 438.57 μW/m2 in the whole-cell mode, whereas an OCV of 125.62 mV and a power density of 117.94 μW/m2 in the enzymatic mode without the use of an external mediator. Although the cell was stable throughout the test duration of ten days in the whole-cell mode, the stability declined within minutes in the enzymatic mode. This work demonstrates the feasibility of generating electricity via a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell in microbial and enzymatic modes using methane as the only carbon source at room temperature with a pure culture of M. capsulatus as a direct electron-transporting biocatalyst.

Keywords: Methylococcus capsulatus; Microbial fuel cell; Proton exchange membrane; Enzymatic Fuel cell; Fuel cell Model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:195:y:2022:i:c:p:17-27

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.06.023

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