1. By: Abenet Addisu

2. Author Affiliations  The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering  The Penn State Hydrogen Energy Center  The Pennsylvania State University  Ramanathan Ramnarayanan  Shaoan Cheng  Study Supported By: National Science Foundation

3. What does a Microbial Fuel Cell look like?

4. Study Objective  Is a PEM necessary in microbial fuel cells?  Increase power density to levels never achieved by a aqueous cathode systems.

5. Rationale  The making of a more economically friendly Microbial Fuel Cell. While increasing it’s power density levels.

6. Methods  Type of Design for Air-Cathode with PEM Consists of… ○ Anode and cathode placed on opposite sides in a Plexiglas ○ PEM cathode bonded the PEM directly onto a flexible carbon-cloth electrode. Hot-pressed onto cathode.  Type of Design for Air- Cathode without PEM Same structure except without PEM.

7. Methods

8.  Experimental Conditions Wastewater was gathered from the Pennsylvania State University Wastewater Treatment Plant. Wastewater was put into the anode for bacteria to colonize. ○ 1200 mg/L of glucose was added to the wastewater for some trials.

9. Methods  Tests Used Voltage was measured with multimeter then converted to power density (P=IV/A). Oxygen across the cathode was calculated by measuring the dissolved oxygen in the anode chamber over time. ○ Using a nonconsumptive fiber optic oxygen probe.

10. Results Microbial Fuel Cell With PEM Microbial Fuel Cell Without PEM

11. Sources of Errors  No precautions were taken to maintain anaerobic conditions during liquid replacement.  Heating the PEM and cathode to bond them together causing… Carboxylation Degeneration of the catalyst of the cathode.

12. Author’s Conclusion  Main disadvantage of not having a PEM Potential for the loss of substrate due to aerobic oxidation by bacteria in the anode chamber.  The PEM can be eliminated while increasing power generation.

13. Study Conclusion  You can make a Microbial Fuel Cell without an PEM.  Several types of organic material can be used including wastewater.  Relation To My Project A high-tech version of my project. Variety of different substances in the anode.

14. Critique  Somewhat confusing A lot of measurements and abbreviations. Lines on graphs were bunched together forming a unreadable blob.  If you’re not familiar with it’s vocabulary, it’s impossible to decipher.

15. By: Abenet Addisu