Synergetic Combination of Bio‐Electrolytes and Bio‐Fluidic Channels as a Novel Resource of Sustainable Energy

Abstract

AbstractExploration for sustainable energy resources is essential to minimize the dependence on fossil fuels and to improve environmental parameters. Here, the possibility of utilizing bio‐waste‐derived electrolytes as an electrical energy resource by placing them across semipermeable membranes prepared through parallel stacking of coir fibers is examined. The nanofluidic membrane (d‐CF‐V) prepared by modifying the inner walls of the bio‐fluidic channels with atomically thin layers of vanadium pentoxide (VO) shows excellent perm‐selectivity (t+ = 0.87, with 1000‐fold concentration difference) and electricity conversion efficiency (≈ 28.2%). With simulated sea and river water, the d‐CF‐V yields output energy up to 2.4 W m−2, similarly with mineral acid bases (0.5 m HCl and 0.01 m NaOH), the d‐CF‐V shows an energy output of 11.8 W m−2. The sun‐dried Garcinia morella (Kuji thekera), and charred peels of Musa balbisiana (banana) are used as sustainable sources of bio‐electrolytes, which in combination with permselective d‐CF‐V yielded a power density of ≈1.4 W m−2. By replacing standard Ag/AgCl electrodes with nanomaterials exhibiting contrasting charge transfer activities, oxidized carbon nanotube membrane (o‐CNT) and polyaniline (PANI) membrane the output voltage is enhanced from –127 to –568 mV and current output is increased from 10.2 to 51.5 µA.