Collaborative Research: Development of self-biased solar microbial electrolysis cells

合作研究：自偏置太阳能微生物电解电池的开发

• 批准号: 1033505
• 负责人: Zhen He
• 金额: $ 10.92万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1033505&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Development; self; biased

1033505HeIntellectual MeritThe objective of the proposal is to develop a solar-driven microbial electrolysis cell (solar MEC) that consists of a semiconductor nanowire-arrayed photocathode and a bacteria-colonizing anode to convert dissolved organic matter to hydrogen gas. The dissolved organic matter could be from waste streams or renewable bio-based resources. Microbial electrohydrogenesis may have several advantages over bacterial fermentation for hydrogen production, such as higher hydrogen yield, higher efficiency, and substrate diversity. However, the microbial electrohydrogenesis process in conventional MEC devices requires additional energy input in terms of an external bias, typically in a range of 0.2-1.0 V, to overcome the endothermic barrier for hydrogen generation, which adds operation cost and limits the device efficiency. The solar-driven MEC design adopts a semiconductor nanowire-arrayed photocathode to assist electron transfer from a bacteria-colonizing anode and provide photovoltage for hydrogen generation. Specifically, upon illumination, the photogenerated electrons at the semiconductor conduction band reduce protons to hydrogen, while the photogenerated holes at valence band recombine with the electrons from electrogenic bacteria cells at the anode. The semiconductor nanowire-arrayed photocathode structure offers large surface area, strong light absorption and short electron diffusion length, and is designed to enhance the light absorption and proton reduction at the cathode. Fundamental issues, such as the bioanode and photocathode materials and structure, as well as electron transfer at the bacteria/anode interface, will be systematically studied.The research will suggest approaches to optimize device configuration with the ultimate goal of demonstrating an efficient and self-sustained solar-MEC. The new device concept developed in this proposal can be applied to other bio-inorganic hybrid devices for energy conversion applications, such as microbial fuel cells.Broader ImpactsThe proposed education plan will integrate multidisciplinary research and educational activities at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) and University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee (UWM). New lecture material and experiments for laboratory courses will be developed that will make use of the microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) research techniques. For example, a new MEC experiment will be developed and used in an undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory class at UCSC, and course materials based on microbial fuel cells will be incorporated into an undergraduate environmental engineering course at UWM. Research experiences will be provided to undergraduate students from under-represented groups, recruited through NSF-sponsored Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) and NIH-sponsored ACCESS programs respectively. The SURF program targets college/university students, while the ACCESS program targets students at the community college level in the Santa Cruz and San Jose regions. Research experiences for high school students, coordinated through existing programs at UCSC, will be provided for students recruited through local high schools. Educational outreach activities focus on development of a website for microbial fuel cells, with content designed for the general public and high school audiences that includes graphics, cartoons, and videos.

1033505贺智贤该提案的目标是开发一种太阳能驱动的微生物电解电池（太阳能MEC），该电池由半导体光电管阵列光电阴极和细菌定植阳极组成，将溶解的有机物转化为氢气。 溶解的有机物可以来自废物流或可再生的生物基资源。 微生物电制氢与细菌发酵制氢相比，具有产氢率高、效率高、底物多样性好等优点。 然而，在常规MEC装置中的微生物电氢化过程需要额外的能量输入，就外部偏压而言，通常在0.2- 1.0V的范围内，以克服用于氢生成的吸热屏障，这增加了操作成本并限制了装置效率。 太阳能驱动的MEC设计采用半导体光电阴极阵列，以帮助电子从细菌定植的阳极转移，并提供光电压产生氢气。 具体地，在照射时，在半导体导带处的光生电子将质子还原成氢，而在价带处的光生空穴与来自阳极处的产电细菌细胞的电子重组。 半导体光电阴极阵列结构提供了大的表面积、强的光吸收和短的电子扩散长度，并且被设计为增强阴极处的光吸收和质子还原。 本研究将系统地研究生物阳极和光电阴极的材料和结构，以及细菌/阳极界面的电子传递等基本问题，并提出优化器件结构的方法，最终目标是展示一种高效和自我维持的太阳能MEC。 在这个建议中开发的新设备的概念可以应用到其他生物-无机混合装置的能量转换应用，如微生物燃料cells.Broader ImpactsThe拟议的教育计划将整合多学科的研究和教育活动，在加州圣克鲁斯大学（UCSC）和威斯康星州大学密尔沃基（UWM）。 新的教材和实验室课程的实验将开发，将利用微生物电解池（MEC）的研究技术。 例如，一个新的MEC实验将被开发并用于UCSC的本科物理化学实验室课程，基于微生物燃料电池的课程材料将被纳入UWM的本科环境工程课程。研究经验将提供给来自代表性不足群体的本科生，分别通过NSF赞助的夏季本科生研究奖学金（SURF）和NIH赞助的ACCESS项目招募。分区域资源中心方案的对象是学院/大学学生，而“获取”方案的对象是圣克鲁斯和圣何塞地区社区学院一级的学生。 高中生的研究经验，通过在UCSC现有的计划协调，将提供通过当地高中招募的学生。 教育推广活动的重点是开发一个微生物燃料电池网站，为公众和高中观众设计内容，包括图形，漫画和视频。