Surface charge induced bioelectricity generation from freshwater macroalgae Pithophora

Abstract

A new concept of energy harvesting from the interaction of water molecule with macroalgal surface charges has been developed. The formation of electrical double layers on the charged surface of algae was utilized to generate the voltage and current between two aluminum electrodes along the length of the biofilm. In this study, a facile and efficient algal hydrovoltaic device based on the macroalgae Pithophora roettleri was demonstrated which can generate continuous electric power with a current of ∼4.4 μA and voltage ∼0.32 V. Seven series connected devices can glow an LED light, without any external energy. The superior performance of the device is attributed to the intrinsic properties of the Pithophora algal film, including its hydrophilicity, filamentous structure, conductivity and more. This study is providing a new way to research on hydrovoltaic power generation integrated with electrostatic charges present on algal cytoplasmic membrane or surface.