Collaborative research: Self-sustaining microbial photoelectrosynthesis for energy and fuel production

合作研究：用于能源和燃料生产的自维持微生物光电合成

• 批准号: 1704921
• 负责人: Zhiyong Ren
• 金额: $ 22万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Boulder
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-07-01 至 2018-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1704921&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; research; Self; sustaining; microbial

Harnessing energy directly from sunlight and water presents a tremendous opportunity for a sustainable future. Artificial photosynthesis simulates plant processes to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into renewable fuels and chemicals. Current artificial photosynthesis technologies have low efficiency and stability and require an external electrical voltage to sustain the conversion, which is energy intensive. Also, frequently, these systems require clean water for fuel production. This project will investigate the feasibility of a self-sustaining microbial photoelectrosynthesis process to solve both energy and water problems in solar to fuel conversions. Such modular systems can potentially transform expensive centralized energy and water infrastructure to more sustainable, flexible, and modular solutions. The investigators will train graduate and undergraduate students and actively involve underrepresented minorities and women. New course materials will be developed to promote interdisciplinary learning, and practicum based learning programs will be developed in conjunction with field service for communities. This project will investigate the integration of microbial electrochemical oxidation on the anode and photoelectrochemical reduction on the cathode in a combined system to produce fuels and electricity. By utilizing the potential generated from the anode, microbial photoelectrochemical systems can become self-sustaining without any external voltage application. The system does not require clean water to operate, rather it potentially cleans up wastewater via microbial organic oxidation. The project will study the underlying mechanisms of the interactions at both electrodes to achieve high current density and fuels production including hydrogen, syngas and methane. Fuel generation will be controlled by new individual catalyst systems designed for increased selectivity towards targeted products. Moreover, new anode catalysts will be applied to facilitate anode electron transfer and organic oxidation, and scalable reactor systems will be designed.

直接利用太阳能和水资源为可持续发展的未来提供了巨大的机会。人工光合作用模拟植物将阳光、水和二氧化碳转化为可再生燃料和化学品的过程。目前的人工光合作用技术具有低效率和稳定性，并且需要外部电压来维持转换，这是能量密集型的。此外，这些系统通常需要清洁水来生产燃料。该项目将研究自我维持的微生物光电合成过程的可行性，以解决太阳能转化为燃料过程中的能源和水问题。这种模块化系统可以将昂贵的集中式能源和水基础设施转变为更可持续、更灵活和更模块化的解决方案。调查人员将培训研究生和本科生，并积极参与代表性不足的少数民族和妇女。新的课程材料将被开发，以促进跨学科的学习，和实习为基础的学习计划将与社区的现场服务一起开发。本项目将研究在一个组合系统中，阳极上的微生物电化学氧化和阴极上的光电化学还原的整合，以产生燃料和电力。通过利用阳极产生的电势，微生物光电化学系统可以在没有任何外部电压施加的情况下变得自我维持。该系统不需要清洁的水来运行，而是通过微生物有机氧化来潜在地净化废水。该项目将研究两个电极相互作用的基本机制，以实现高电流密度和燃料生产，包括氢气，合成气和甲烷。燃料生产将由新的单独催化剂系统控制，该系统旨在提高对目标产品的选择性。此外，将应用新的阳极催化剂以促进阳极电子转移和有机氧化，并将设计可扩展的反应器系统。