Effect of Carbon Nanotube Coating Electrode on The Performance of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)

This study reports on the modification of the anode and the cathode in a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a Multiwall Carbon Nano Tube (MWCNT) conductive film to boost its open circuit potential (OCP). Carbon nanotubes, if used as a coating film on a conductive substrate, can substantially raise the charge storage capacity and lower the impedance of electrodes without significant increase to the geometric area. To exploit the outstanding ability of carbon nanotubes to facilitate electron transfer in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) system, new electrode material was fabricated through dip coating CNT layer homogeneously on carbon cloth matrix. A cation selective membrane separates the two chambers of the MFC with air bubbling for providing oxygen as ultimate electron acceptor in the cathode compartment. Performance of the S. cervisea based MFC was compare with different amount of CNT coated Electrodes. The MFC equipped with the conductive film-coated (1.25%) anode and cathode progressed the maximum OCP of 580 mv that was 47% larger than that obtained in the MFC with the unmodified electrodes, and also specific surface area was inceaseed by 83%. The MWNT-based carbon cloth electrode is promising for the electricity production by MFC.