Microbial Fuel Cell Performance Enhancement through Modification of Nafion Membrane Using Sulfuric Acid-Doped Polyaniline

Subject Areas : Materials synthesis and charachterization

Majid Yaghoubi ¹ , Nader Mokhtarian ² , Alireza Zangene ³ , Mohammad Hassan Vakili ⁴

1 - Department of Chemical Enginerring, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran
2 - Department of Chemical Engineering, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran
3 - Department of Chemical, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran.
4 - Department of Chemical Enginerring, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran.

Received: 2024-05-12 Accepted : 2024-09-22 Published : 2023-08-01

Keywords: Microbial Fuel Cell, Nafion, polyaniline, Sulfuric Acid, environmental,

Abstract :

In the face of dwindling energy resources and the alarming surge in harmful greenhouse gas emissions, there is a crucial shift towards embracing renewable energy solutions that minimize environmental impact. For this goal, Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are used as a dual-purpose technology; functioning potentially as great energy generators and environmental cleansers. This study delves into the enhancement of MFCs’ efficiency through the customization of the Nafion proton exchange membrane using sulfuric acid-doped polyaniline. Due to this quality, Polyaniline was selected for its robustness and high electrical conductivity. Later, it was electrochemically deposited onto the Nafion membrane, employing a method rooted in electrochemistry. Experimental trials involved a dual-chamber MFC, employing Escherichia coli and glucose as substrates. Assessing the Nafion membrane's condition using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), the MFC with the modified Nafion membrane exhibited significantly higher maximum current density (285 mA/cm²) and power density (36 mW/cm²) compared to its pristine Nafion counterpart; titled (165 mA/cm²) and (14.5 mW/cm²) respectively. A comparison with the polarization curve displays an improvement in the microbial fuel cell's performance attributed to the Nafion membrane modification.

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