Title :
A Multianode Paper-Based Microbial Fuel Cell: A Potential Power Source for Disposable Biosensors
Author :
Fraiwan, Arwa ; Hankeun Lee ; Seokheun Choi
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., State Univ. of New York, Binghamton, NY, USA
Abstract :
In this paper, we report a multianode paper-based microbial fuel cell (MFC) capable of generating a power density of 28.4 μW/cm2. This MFC features: 1) flexible multilayered carbon cloth anodes for bacterial attachment and 2) paper reservoirs for holding the anolyte and catholyte for an extended period of time. The hydrophobic barriers in the anodes and paper-based reservoirs were patterned by impregnating and selectively polymerizing photoresist through UV lithography. Upon inoculum/catholyte introduction, a current of 211 μA/cm2 was immediately generated. By using the multianode MFC, the power and current densities increased by 5× and 3×, respectively, compared with a single anode one. The paper-based MFC is expected to be a simple and easy-to-use power source for single-use diagnostic biosensors because even sewage or soiled water in a puddle can become an excellent source for operating MFCs and harvesting electricity through bacterial metabolism.
Keywords :
anodes; biosensors; current density; hydrophobicity; microbial fuel cells; microorganisms; paper; photoresists; ultraviolet lithography; UV lithography; bacterial attachment; current densities; diagnostic biosensors; disposable biosensors; flexible multilayered carbon cloth anodes; hydrophobic barriers; inoculum/catholyte introduction; multianode paper-based microbial fuel cell; paper reservoirs; photoresist; power density; Anodes; Biosensors; Carbon; Cathodes; Density measurement; Microorganisms; Protons; Microbial fuel cells; bacterial metabolism; disposable biosensors; multi-anode configuration; paper-based power sources;
Journal_Title :
Sensors Journal, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/JSEN.2014.2332075