Collaborative Research: Development of Self-biased Solar Microbial Electrolysis Cells

合作研究：自偏置太阳能微生物电解电池的开发

• 批准号: 1034222
• 负责人: Yat Li
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Cruz
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1034222&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Development; Self; biased

1034222LiIntellectual MeritThe objective of the proposal is to develop a solar-driven microbial electrolysis cell (solar MEC) that consists of a semiconductor nanowire-arrayed photocathode and a bacteria-colonizing anode to convert dissolved organic matter to hydrogen gas. The dissolved organic matter could be from waste streams or renewable bio-based resources. Microbial electrohydrogenesis may have several advantages over bacterial fermentation for hydrogen production, such as higher hydrogen yield, higher efficiency, and substrate diversity. However, the microbial electrohydrogenesis process in conventional MEC devices requires additional energy input in terms of an external bias, typically in a range of 0.2-1.0 V, to overcome the endothermic barrier for hydrogen generation, which adds operation cost and limits the device efficiency. The solar-driven MEC design adopts a semiconductor nanowire-arrayed photocathode to assist electron transfer from a bacteria-colonizing anode and provide photovoltage for hydrogen generation. Specifically, upon illumination, the photogenerated electrons at the semiconductor conduction band reduce protons to hydrogen, while the photogenerated holes at valence band recombine with the electrons from electrogenic bacteria cells at the anode. The semiconductor nanowire-arrayed photocathode structure offers large surface area, strong light absorption and short electron diffusion length, and is designed to enhance the light absorption and proton reduction at the cathode. Fundamental issues, such as the bioanode and photocathode materials and structure, as well as electron transfer at the bacteria/anode interface, will be systematically studied.The research will suggest approaches to optimize device configuration with the ultimate goal of demonstrating an efficient and self-sustained solar-MEC. The new device concept developed in this proposal can be applied to other bio-inorganic hybrid devices for energy conversion applications, such as microbial fuel cells.Broader ImpactsThe proposed education plan will integrate multidisciplinary research and educational activities at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) and University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee (UWM). New lecture material and experiments for laboratory courses will be developed that will make use of the microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) research techniques. For example, a new MEC experiment will be developed and used in an undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory class at UCSC, and course materials based on microbial fuel cells will be incorporated into an undergraduate environmental engineering course at UWM. Research experiences will be provided to undergraduate students from under-represented groups, recruited through NSF-sponsored Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) and NIH-sponsored ACCESS programs respectively. The SURF program targets college/university students, while the ACCESS program targets students at the community college level in the Santa Cruz and San Jose regions. Research experiences for high school students, coordinated through existing programs at UCSC, will be provided for students recruited through local high schools. Educational outreach activities focus on development of a website for microbial fuel cells, with content designed for the general public and high school audiences that includes graphics, cartoons, and videos.

1034222LIINTELLECTUAL优点该提案的目的是开发一个太阳能驱动的微生物电解电池（太阳MEC），该电解池（太阳MEC）由半导体纳米式阵列阵列的光电阴道和细菌殖民化阳极组成，以将溶解有机物转化为氢气。 溶解的有机物可能来自废物流或可再生生物的资源。 微生物的电氢化可能比细菌发酵具有多个优势，例如氢产量较高，效率更高和底物多样性。 但是，常规MEC设备中的微生物电氢化过程需要以外部偏差（通常在0.2-1.0 V范围内）进行额外的能量输入，以克服产生氢的吸热屏障，这增加了操作成本并限制了设备效率。 太阳能驱动的MEC设计采用了半导体纳米线阵列的光电极，以帮助从细菌殖民化阳极转移电子转移，并为氢生成提供光电压。 具体而言，在照明时，半导体传导带的光生成电子将质子减少到氢，而光生成的孔与阳极上的电基细菌细胞的电子重组重新组合。 半导体纳米线阵列的光电阴道结构提供较大的表面积，强光吸收和短电子扩散长度，旨在增强阴极处的光吸收和质子还原。 将系统地研究基本问题，例如生物阳极和光子电极材料和结构，以及细菌/阳极界面的电子传输。该研究将提出优化设备配置的方法，其最终目标是证明有效且自我维持的太阳能MEC。 本提案中开发的新设备概念可以应用于其他生物无机混合设备，例如微生物燃料电池。 将开发用于实验室课程的新讲座材料和实验，以利用微生物电解细胞（MEC）研究技术。 例如，将在UCSC的本科物理化学实验室类中开发并使用新的MEC实验，基于微生物燃料电池的课程材料将纳入UWM的本科环境工程课程中。通过NSF赞助的夏季本科研究奖学金（SURF）和NIH赞助的访问计划，将向来自代表性不足的团体的本科生提供研究经验。冲浪计划针对大学/大学的学生，而访问计划的目标是圣克鲁斯和圣何塞地区社区学院一级的学生。 通过在UCSC的现有计划协调的高中学生的研究经验将为通过当地高中招募的学生提供。 教育外展活动的重点是开发用于微生物燃料电池的网站，其内容旨在为包括图形，卡通和视频在内的公众和高中受众设计。