Abstract
Low voltage and power output limit the widespread application of marine benthic microbial fuel cell (BMFCs). To increase the cell power, a Fe/Ferric oxide modified anode fabricating by electrolytic deposition is reported here. The novel anode has a lower surface contact angle and higher wettability, which favors the adhesion of bacteria. It is firstly demonstrated that the electrical potential of the modified anode is about −775mV, much lower than that of the plain graphite (about −450mV). Open circuit potential of BMFC with the modified anode is about 1050±50mV, while the potential for the plain cells is only 700±50mV. In comparison with the plain graphite, the modified anode presents a 393-fold exchange current density and a higher kinetic activity. The output power reaches 7.4×10−2mWcm−2, 17.4-fold higher than that of the plain graphite. A composite mechanism of both chemical and microbial enhancement of the modified anode is proposed to explain its excellent electrochemical performance. The modified anode has potential for high-power output cell and novel voltage-booster design to make the BMFC utilization feasibility.
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