Artificial three-dimensional biotops with electroactive bacteria for highly efficient microbial fuel cells by use of metal/polymer fiber hybrid structures

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The topic of this project is the preparation of artificial biotopes for electroactive bacteria for the use in microbial bioelectrochemical systems (BES). Based on the results of the successful first project period of this proposal, we want to investigate now a new electrode design that will allow the improved colonization and interpenetration of 3D-electrodes with electrochemically active bacteria, in order to improve the efficiency and the catalytic performance of biofilm electrodes. The hypothesis of our intended project is based on the assumption that the co-deposition of bacteria and electrode material in the preparation will provide the required interpenetration and accelerated electrode operation. Conventional, consecutive procedures of electrode preparation and biofilm colonization often suffer from slow colonization and incomplete electrode penetration of 3D structures. Our concept is based on the wet-laid process, which we have recently successfully established for short electrospun fibers. This wet-laid process provided perfect access to high quality porous nanofiber nonwovens. The missing but required electrical conductivity will be realized by addition of silver and copper nanowires during the wet-laid process. Simultaneously, we will add encapsulated bacteria during the wet-laid process, which should finally result in the required hybrid electrode required for high efficient BES. We will systematically study the composition of the electrodes obtained by the wet-laid process and benchmark it with existing BES electrodes in order to verify our hypothesis.