Sains Malaysiana 47(12)(2018): 3043–3049

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4712-14

 

Electrochemical Characterisation of Heat-Treated Metal and Non-Metal Anodes using Mud in Microbial Fuel Cell

(Pencirian Elektrokimia bagi Logam dan Bukan-Logam Anod dengan Rawatan-Haba menggunakan Lumpur dalam Sel Fuel Mikrob)

 

RABA’ATUN ADAWIYAH SHAMSUDDIN¹, WAN RAMLI WAN DAUD^1,2, KIM BYUNG HONG^1,4,5, JAMALIAH MD. JAHIM^1,2, MIMI HANI ABU BAKAR¹*, WAN SYAIDATUL AQMA WAN MOHD NOOR³ & ROZAN MOHAMAD YUNUS¹

 

¹Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

²Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

³School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

⁴Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791, Korea

 

⁵State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China

 

Diserahkan: 30 Mei 2018 /Diterima: 14 September 2018

 

ABSTRACT

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have a high potential application for simultaneous wastewater treatment and electricity generation. However, the choice of the electrode material and its design is critical and directly affect their performance. As an electrode of MFCs, the anode material with surface modifications is an attractive strategy to improve the power output. In this study, stainless steel (SS) and carbon steel (CS) was chosen as a metal anode, while graphite felt (GF) was used as a common anode. Heat treatment was performed to convert SS, CS and GF into efficient anodes for MFCs. The maximum current density and power density of the MFC-SS were achieved up till 762.14 mA/m2 and 827.25 mW/m2, respectively, which were higher than MFC-CS (641.95 mA/m2 and 260.14 mW/m2) and MFC-GF (728.30 mA/m2 and 307.89 mW/m2). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of MFC-SS showed better catalytic activity compared to MFC-CS and MFC-GF anode, also supported by cyclic voltammetry test.

 

Keywords: Anode; carbon steel; graphite felt; MFC; stainless steel

 

ABSTRAK

Sel bahan api mikrob (MFCs) mempunyai aplikasi yang berpotensi tinggi untuk rawatan air sisa kumbahan dan penghasilan tenaga elektrik. Walau bagaimanapun, pemilihan bahan elektrod dan reka bentuknya adalah sangat penting dan secara langsung mempengaruhi prestasi mereka. Sebagai elektrod MFC, bahan anod dengan pengubahsuaian permukaan dianggap sebagai strategi yang berkesan bagi meningkatkan output kuasa. Dalam kajian ini, keluli tahan karat (SS) dan keluli karbon (CS) dipilih sebagai anod logam, manakala serat grafit (GF) digunakan sebagai anod biasa. Rawatan haba dilakukan untuk menjadikan SS, CS dan GF kepada anod yang lebih cekap untuk MFC. Ketumpatan arus maksimum dan ketumpatan kuasa MFC-SS, masing-masing telah mencapai sehingga 762.14 mA/m2 dan 827.25 mW/m2, iaitu lebih tinggi daripada MFC-CS (641.95 mA/m2 dan 260.14 mW/m2) dan MFC-GF (728.30 mA/m2 dan 307.89 mW/m2). Menerusi spektroskopi impedans elektrokimia (EIS), MFC-SS menunjukkan aktiviti katalitik yang lebih baik berbanding dengan MFC-CS dan MFC-GF, yang juga disokong oleh ujian kitaran voltammetri (CV).

 

Kata kunci: Anod; keluli karbon; keluli tahan karat; MFC; serat grafit

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: mimihani@ukm.edu.my