Terms Of Power Density Research Articles

Hierarchical porous Fe/Ni-based bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Developing sustainable and efficient bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction (ORR) and evolution (OER) reactions is challenging for energy conversion and storage. This work proposes a hierarchical carbon matrix decorated with nitrogen atoms (NC) as a support for obtaining high-performance electrocatalysts based on iron and nickel (Fe/Ni@N–C). The effect of different Fe:Ni ratios and the pyrolysis conditions on the catalyst performance were investigated by combining electrochemical tests, N2-adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Once optimized the pyrolysis conditions and the Fe:Ni ratio, the Fe/Ni@N–C catalyst showed high bifunctional OER/ORR activity in a three-electrode cell in an alkaline environment (KOH 1 M), with an overall ΔE for the ORR-OER reaction of 0.75 V. Fe/Ni@N–C was assembled in a rechargeable zinc-air battery, resulting in an excellent electrochemical performance in terms of power density (148.5 mWcm−2) and durability, outperforming the benchmark Pt/C–RuO2.

Experimental comparison of planar transformer architectures for half-bridge resonant topology

Power electronics is experiencing a strong growth, driven by industrial demand for applications as diverse as wall adapters and renewable energy. In addition to topologies, semiconductors or control, there is also a need for research in magnetics, such as planar transformers, which are very useful for certain applications where a low converter profile is desired, so that replacing traditional wire transformers has a quantitative advantage in terms of power density and geometry, as well as EMI reduction. In this paper, an experimental comparison of different planar transformer architectures is made, a contrast of the test results is presented. Six possibilities are carried out, dealing with diverse configurations in primary and secondary windings, of which a theoretical estimation of losses is performed. To demonstrate the effect of variations in the proposals, a 100 W prototype converter, with an input voltage range of 320 to 380 V and an output range of 5 to 20 V is developed based on the novel hybrid flyback topology, reaching a maximum efficiency of 97% using GaN semiconductors. With it, a comparison is made in terms of efficiency and common noise between the alternatives.

We may be underestimating the power capabilities of lithium-ion capacitors

In this Perspective, we express our opinion on the specific power and power density of lithium-ion capacitors. These cells are state-of-the-art commercially available high voltage hybrid capacitors, notable for combining high energy and high power in one cell. However, the power characteristics of these electrochemical cells are not always well understood in the scientific community and there is a substantial amount of conflicting information in the available literature. It appears that their power characteristics are often understated, undermining the appropriate recognition of these cells. Therefore, we present the evaluation of the power capabilities of lithium-ion capacitors on the basis of key literature results and targeted laboratory measurements in our group. From our analysis, power densities superior to those in electrochemical supercapacitors are usually achievable in lithium-ion capacitors. Consequently, these cells may be recognised as superior alternatives to supercapacitors not only in terms of their energy densities but also in terms of power densities (or, in gravimetric terms, specific powers). The discussion points provided in this Perspective should stimulate better understanding of lithium-ion capacitors as innovative cells for high power applications.

Ammonium and Tartrate Salts as Alternatives to Neutral Aqueous Electrolytes for Supercapacitors

AbstractSupercapacitors are promising energy storage devices in terms of power density and lifetime. Organic electrolytes are frequently applied in commercial supercapacitor devices. However, their water‐based counterparts are much safer, more sustainable and cost‐effective. In this study we therefore present, for the first time, aqueous tartrate‐based electrolytes (sodium tartrate / ammonium tartrate) for supercapacitor applications, and relate them to well‐known inorganic aqueous electrolytes like Na2SO4. Additionally, the influence of the cation on the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors is investigated using sodium and ammonium cations for comparison. We demonstrate the electrochemical performance and physicochemical properties of ammonium tartrate / sulfate and sodium tartrate / sulfate. An improvement of the conductivity in the range of 40–60 % was achieved by the exchange of sodium cation with ammonium cation. Carbon electrodes in newly introduced aqueous tartrate‐based electrolytes deliver high specific capacitances up to 117 Fg−1. Furthermore, electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) containing 1 M ammonium tartrate display a high energy density at 0.1 Ag−1 and at 10 Ag−1 (9.88 Whkg−1 and 1.14 Whkg−1, respectively). Floating tests show excellent long‐term performance. Tartrate‐based EDLCs retain >80 % of their initial capacitance at 1.6 V cell voltage (120 h floating time). In the case of ammonium tartrate electrolyte, a novel metal‐free and non‐toxic concept for an eco‐friendly supercapacitor device is proposed.

Design, Testing and Analysis of an Anti-Phase Electromagnetic Hydro Generator for Self-Powered Sensors

This study proposes a novel anti-phase electromagnetic hydro generator for a larger power generation. The design consists of two waters wheels where conducting coils were fixed onto one wheel and permanent magnets were attached to the other wheel. Both wheels were made to rotate in an anti-phase motion relative to each other by supplying two water sources at different locations to increase the relative speed between the magnets and the coils. The generator was fabricated, assembled and tested experimentally, demonstrating a 70.1% larger voltage output than a conventional generator. A theoretical model was provided and was seen to agree well with the experimental measurements. However, due to the resistance from the slip ring, the water wheel with the coils attached displayed a relatively lower rotation speed compared to the other wheel. This caused the generator to exhibit a lower mechanical efficiency than the conventional generator. On the other hand, it demonstrated a higher electrical efficiency due to the larger power generated. In terms of overall efficiency, the anti-phase generator has a smaller efficiency at lower flow rates but a higher efficiency at flow rates larger than 3.7 L/min. Finally, the anti-phase generator proved to be superior to the conventional generator in terms of power density, recording a maximum value of 50.6 × 10−3 mW/cm3.

An adaptive virtual capacitive droop for hybrid energy storage system in DC microgrid

Hybrid energy storage system (HESS) is an integral part of DC microgrid as it improves power quality and helps maintain balance between energy supply and demand. The battery and supercapacitor of HESS differ in terms of power density and dynamic response and appropriate control strategies are required to share power among these storage elements. This paper presents an adaptive virtual capacitive droop for supercapacitor in HESS. A switched-controlled capacitor (SCC) is used in series with a supercapacitor to change capacitance droop coefficient which affects the power absorbed and released by the storage element. The SCC control uses state of charge (SoC) balancing mechanism to improve charge profile by reducing the peak and settling time. Moreover, SCC is fully soft switched to reduce switching losses. A detailed design of controller is discussed for HESS. Compared to the conventional supercapacitor control where the SoC balancing is ensured in secondary control, the proposed scheme improves SoC profile of supercapacitor and ensures that it rapidly contributes power during transients of the microgrid. Simulations performed in PSCAD/EMTDC highlight the superior performance of this control over the conventional scheme.

Competitive Coordination-Oriented Monodispersed Cobalt Sites on a N-Rich Porous Carbon Microsphere Catalyst for High-Performance Zn-Air Batteries.

Metal/nitrogen-doped carbon single-atom catalysts (M-N-C SACs) show excellent catalytic performance with a maximum atom utilization and customizable tunable electronic structure. However, precisely modulating the M-Nx coordination in M-N-C SACs remains a grand challenge. Here, we used a N-rich nucleobase coordination self-assembly strategy to precisely regulate the dispersion of metal atoms by controlling the metal ratio. Meanwhile, the elimination of Zn during pyrolysis produced porous carbon microspheres with a specific surface area of up to 1151 m2 g-1, allowing maximum exposure of Co-N4 sites and facilitating charge transport in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) process. Thereby, the monodispersed cobalt sites (Co-N4) in N-rich (18.49 at%) porous carbon microspheres (CoSA/N-PCMS) displayed excellent ORR activity under alkaline conditions. Simultaneously, the Zn-air battery (ZAB) assembled with CoSA/N-PCMS outperformed Pt/C+RuO2-based ZABs in terms of power density and capacity, proving that they have good prospects for practical application.

A proposal of a hydrogen injection system in to a miniature turbojet engine

The solution proposed in this article, based on direct injection of hydrogen into the combustion chamber, offers many benefits, including a better volumetric efficiency, complete combustion (avoidance of premature ignition and backfire) and significant benefits in terms of power density when compared to engines, in which hydrogen is injected into the air inlet duct. The article discusses advantages and disadvantages of systems responsible for injecting hydrogen into the combustion chamber based on the operational phases of the GTM 400 engine developed by the JET-POL Company. The use of an electronic controller combined with an injector placed in an appropriate place inside the combustion chamber allow for the mentioned engine to be modified this way to optimize its power, performance and emissions. The article discusses matters related to challenges faced by materials used to make components of hydrogen injectors as well as research on the topic in question with the use of diesel engines. The article considers the impact of a low mass density and hydrogen energy, high speed of sound and low thickness on the injection system and components of a miniature turbojet engine. Physical attributes shaped by hydrogen fuel directly affect the size of components, selection of materials and tribology of turbojet engines. The authors suggest that the solutions used in the research on the GTM 400 engine can be used in the future to build hydrogen systems (hydrogen injection, storage and distribution) for fullscale passenger aircraft jet engines.

Design optimization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plate

The bipolar plate geometry design is one of the fuel cell's key features that determines the cell's power. It equally has a direct correlation to the thermal and water management of the cell as it tends to regulate the amount of by-product water that can be expunged from the fuel cell. This study, therefore, explored the development of novel bipolar plate geometry designs, namely the square baffled channel, the rectangular baffled channel, the parallel channel design, and the double serpentine geometry design. This was further compared with the traditional serpentine design to ascertain the design with the optimum fuel cell performance. With the squared baffled channel presenting the best results, varying operating conditions that will influence the performance of the novel fuel cell channel design were also evaluated. It was observed that the hydrogen mass fraction increased by 22.6% for the square baffled channel design compared with the other geometry designs considered in the present study. The square baffle channel showed 12.11% increase in power density and 14.54% increase in current density compared to the rectangular baffle channel. In terms of the parallel channel design, the square baffle showed 18.941% increase in power density and 22.278% increase in current density. The least performing channel geometry design was the double serpentine design. Comparing the double serpentine channel geometry design to the square baffle channel geometry design, there was an increase in current density by 67.72% and 77.88% in terms of power density in favour of the square baffle channel geometry design. The square baffle channel also showed 50% increase in current density and 58.23% increase in power density compared to conventional serpentine channel flow plate geometry design. An adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was also adopted to predict the output power of the cell. This was then compared with Feed Forward Back Propagation Neural Network to determine the model with the most accurate results. The adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference model accurately predicted the non-linearities associated with fuel cell performance, hence recommended as ideal for Proton Exchange membrane fuel cell prediction. The main contribution for the study is the development of optimal flow plate geometry design that will ensure maximum fuel cell performance. The current study is aimed at providing technical information to policy makers and the fuel cell industry on how optimization of the flow plate design via the introduction of baffles could increase the cell performance hence accelerates its commercialization and widen their applications in various sectors beyond the automotive industry.

High Efficiency Formamidinium‐Cesium Perovskite‐Based Radio‐Photovoltaic Cells

Radio‐photovoltaic cell is a micro nuclear battery for devices operating in extreme environments, which converts the decay energy of a radioisotope into electric energy by using a phosphor and a photovoltaic converter. Many phosphors with high light yield and good environmental stability have been developed, but the performance of radio‐photovoltaic cells remains far behind expectations in terms of power density and power conversion efficiency, because of the poor photoelectric conversion efficiency of traditional photovoltaic converters under low‐light conditions. This paper reports an radio‐photovoltaic cell based on an intrinsically stable formamidinium‐cesium perovskite photovoltaic converter exhibiting a wide light wavelength response from 300 to 800 nm, high open‐circuit voltage (VOC), and remarkable efficiency at low‐light intensity. When a He ions accelerator is adopted as a mimicked α radioisotope source with an equivalent activity of 0.83 mCi cm−2, the formamidinium‐cesium perovskite radio‐photovoltaic cell achieves a VOC of 0.498 V, a short‐circuit current (JSC) of 423.94 nA cm−2, and a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 0.886%, which is 6.6 times that of the Si reference radio‐photovoltaic cell, as well as the highest among all radio‐photovoltaic cells reported so far. This work provides a theoretical basis for enhancing the performance of radio‐photovoltaic cells.

A conjugately configured supercapacitor based on pairs of pre-lithiated Nb2O5/TiO2 with optimized retained energy upon aging enabled by suppressed self-discharge

Supercapacitors are advantageous in terms of power density and cycle life, but their wider application is limited by self-discharge. Previous attempts for improving the stability have mainly focused on the specific component (materials, separators or electrolytes) of the device, while the feasibility for mitigating self-discharge through a general device-scale configuration is largely unknown. Herein, we report a symmetric supercapacitor with a conjugated configuration, which consists of a pair of pre-lithiated niobium oxide decorated with evenly distributed titanium dioxide, forming a Lix[(Nb2O5):(TiO2)a] vs. Li2-x[(Nb2O5):(TiO2)a] conjugated configuration. The intercalation type pseudocapacitive Nb2O5 are unique due to their linearly sloped charge/discharge curve like electrochemical double layer capacitances (EDLCs) while the charged ions can be inserted/extracted reversibly from the bulk like batteries. As a result, such conjugated device can store energy like conventional EDLCs, while the self-discharge process is significantly supressed. When further added with suitable amount of titanium dioxide as the stabilizer, the conjugated supercapacitor retained 74% of its energy after aging for 48 h. These results are expected to provide a general guidance for designing materials specifically for constructing conjugated supercapacitors with high initial energy density and alleviated self-discharge.

Performance of a Pd-Zn Cathode Electrode in a H2 Fueled Single PEM Fuel Cell

A 21.7 wt.% Pd—7.3 wt.% Zn/C electrocatalyst prepared via the wet impregnation (w.i.) method was deposited onto commercial carbon cloth (E-TEK) and tested towards its electrocatalytic performance as a cathode electrode material for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a H2 fueled single proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A commercial PtRu electrode (E-TEK) was used as PEM anode for hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR). The performance of the aforementioned PEMFC was compared with that of the same PEMFC with two different Pt-based cathodes, which were prepared by deposition onto commercial carbon cloth (E-TEK) of 29 wt.% Pt/C synthesized via w.i. and of commercial 29 wt.% Pt/C (TKK). The metal loading of the tested cathode electrodes was 0.5 mgmet cm−2. Comparison was based both on polarization curves and on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements at varying cell potential. In terms of power density, the lowest and highest performance was exhibited by the PEMFC with the 21.7 wt.% Pd—7.3 wt.% Zn/C cathode and the PEMFC with the commercial 29 wt.% Pt/C (TKK) cathode electrode, respectively. This behavior was in accordance with the results of EIS measurements, which showed that the PEMFC with the 21.7 wt.% Pd—7.3 wt.% Zn/C cathode exhibited the highest polarization resistance.

Optimization of Disodium Naphthalene Dicarboxylates Negative Electrode for Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Sodium Batteries

The impressive growth in demand for energy storage systems and the constraints it might bring on the availability of raw materials has promoted research into new battery technologies alongside the dominant lithium ion technology[1,2]. In the last years, organic-based materials have gained attention as promising candidates to replace inorganics: these compounds are characterized by low production costs and high recyclability, as well as the possibility of being obtained from natural sources, for an overall lower environmental impact[3,4]. Despite the extensive literature on the study of organic molecules able of storing energy, nowadays there are still few examples of optimizations of the formulation of organic-based electrodes, to obtain electrochemical performances comparable to commercially available materials. Herein we would like to report on the optimization of an organic electrode for hybrid organic-inorganic sodium-ions battery. Among the different organic compounds, disodium naphtalene dicarboxylate was chosen as the active material for a negative electrode[5,6], as this molecule showed outstanding electrochemical properties, to be coupled to a positive electrode based on the NVPF[7]. Two formulations were investigated, one with an organic solvent (NMP) and the other one in water, with the PVDF and the CMC binders, respectively. Differences in crystallinity, microstructure and particle size distribution were analyzed for both formulations and correlated with several electrochemical performance, such as reversible capacity and capacity retention. The aqueous formulation showed a better specific capacity (208 mAh g-1) in the first cycle and a superior capacity retention over cycling. Furthermore, based on these results, a hybrid full cell was built with NVPF cathode and Na2NDC anode. The cell showed remarkable electrochemical performance: at low charge rates (C/20), a specific capacity of 94 mAh g-1 (based on the positive electrode mass) were observed, with only 20% irreversibility, in the first cycle. The cell also showed good capacity retention: 81 mAh g-1 (CE 99,5%) of reversible capacity were measured after 50 cycles of the full-cell. Moreover, the hybrid cell showed outstanding result in terms of power density, making it a possible replacement for hard carbon: a reversible capacity of 73 mAh g-1 and 55 mAh g-1 was observed after 50 cycles 1C and 5C, respectively. Keywords: Naphtalene carboxylate, sodium batteries, organic electrode, hybrid batteries.

Co‐substrate‐fed microbial fuel cell for enhanced power generation and removal of groundwater contaminants

AbstractA microbial fuel cell (MFC) could be adopted as one of the biotechnological new approaches for removing groundwater contaminants of petroleum hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene, and simultaneously producing electricity. In this study, we have compared performances of single‐chamber MFCs in terms of power density and removal efficiency when operated under two different feeding conditions. In one experiment, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and phenol (BTEP) were individually fed to the MFC reactor without acetate. In another experiment, acetate was added as a co‐substrate. When operated in a batch mode, both cases showed almost complete BTEP removal efficiency while the former case produced negligible power density of ca. 1 mW/m2 and the latter case 0.13–0.44 W/m2. These results imply that MFCs are promising technology for removing petroleum contaminants and for simultaneously producing electricity when suitable organic substances are provided.

Self-Templating Synthesis of N/P/Fe Co-Doped 3D Porous Carbon for Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysts in Alkaline Media.

The development of low-cost, highly active, and stable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is of great importance for practical applications in numerous energy conversion devices. Herein, iron/nitrogen/phosphorus co-doped carbon electrocatalysts (NPFe-C) with multistage porous structure were synthesized by the self-template method using melamine, phytic acid and ferric trichloride as precursors. In an alkaline system, the ORR half-wave potential is 0.867 V (vs. RHE), comparable to that of platinum-based catalysts. It is noteworthy that NPFe-C performs better than the commercial Pt/C catalyst in terms of power density and specific capacity. Its unique structure and the feature of heteroatom doping endow the catalyst with higher mass transfer ability and abundant available active sites, and the improved performance can be attributed to the following aspects: (1) Fe-, N-, and P triple doping created abundant active sites, contributing to the higher intrinsic activity of catalysts. (2) Phytic acid was crosslinked with melamine to form hydrogel, and its carbonized products have high specific surface area, which is beneficial for a large number of active sites to be exposed at the reaction interface. (3) The porous three-dimensional carbon network facilitates the transfer of reactants/intermediates/products and electric charge. Therefore, Fe/N/P Co-doped 3D porous carbon materials prepared by a facile and scalable pyrolysis route exhibit potential in the field of energy conversion/storage.

Multiobjective Optimization Based Framework for Early Stage Design of Modular Multilevel Converter for All-Electric Ship Application

The Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) architecture for All Electric Ships (AES) has the potential to provide superior features compared to traditional 60-HZ AC distribution systems in terms of power density, power quality, and system stability. The MVDC system introduces extensive use of power electronics equipment into the shipboard power system (SPS) design that brings complexity to the system design. These power electronics equipment connect the power sources and load centers to the MVDC bus and play a major role in handling system faults. This paper focuses on developing a framework to determine the volume and failure rate of a Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) for early stage ship design. Two different methodologies (Taguchi method and a genetic algorithm) were used to determine the best design from a robust set of design options. Once the design parameters have been identified, the Taguchi method forms orthogonal array to explore and evaluate designs. At the end of the design cycle, it identifies the best parameters from a large set of design parameters to achieve lower volume and failure rate. These parameters are used as input to the optimization process. This helps to narrow out the number of inputs for optimization algorithm. The Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) has been integrated with converter design tool to minimize the volume and failure rate of MMC. The results show that the optimization algorithm coupled with Taguchi Method provides the lowest volume and failure rate for MMC. One of the goals of early-stage ship design is to develop preliminary design and evaluation of trade space to narrow it down. This paper is expected to aid early-stage ship design of power electronics converter design for MVDC systems in SPS.

A New Topology of DC–DC Converter Based on Piezoelectric Resonator

The emergence of new piezoelectric materials makes it possible to offer high performances in terms of power density and integration. These new materials can be used in dc–dc power converters as a solution to replace the magnetic components and to meet the growing demand for miniaturization, high power density, and high-efficiency applications. This article deals with a new topology of a dc–dc converter based on a piezoelectric resonator. The conversion mechanism based on energy and charge balance is explained in detail through an analytical model and validated by experimental results. A prototype has been designed for an input–output voltage up to 250–125 V and a power range up to 175 W. It provides an efficiency higher than 93% for wide operating points in radial mode vibration. As an example, we have obtained an efficiency of 93.8% for 250–117 V input–output voltage at 50 W output power. In addition, the thickness mode operation is experimentally validated at 1 MHz and exhibited a peak output power of 175 W with an efficiency of 80% for 200–60 V input–output voltage. The experimental results show the promising performances of the proposed dc–dc power converter based on a piezoelectric resonator for high-to-low voltage, high efficiency, and low-to-medium power applications.

A high-frequency flexible symmetric supercapacitor prepared by the laser-defocused ablation of MnO2 on a carbon cloth

The rapid development of flexible electronics has produced an enormous demand for supercapacitors. Compared to batteries, supercapacitors have great advantages in terms of power density and cycling stability. They can also respond well on a time scale of seconds, but most have a poor frequency response, and behave more like pure resistors when used at high frequencies (e.g., above 100 Hz). It is therefore challenging to develop supercapacitors that work at a frequency of over 100 Hz. We report a high-frequency flexible symmetrical supercapacitor composed of a MnO2@carbon cloth hybrid electrode (CC@MnO2), which is synthesized by the defocused-laser ablation method. This CC@MnO2-based symmetric supercapacitor has an excellent specific areal capacitance of 1.53 mF cm−2 at a frequency of 120 Hz and has good cycling stability with over 92.10% capacitance retention after 100 000 cycles at 100 V s−1. This remarkable electrochemical performance is attributed to the combined effect of the high conductivity of the 3D structure of the carbon cloth and the exceptional pseudo-capacitance of the laser-produced MnO2 nanosheets. The defocused laser ablation method can be used for large-scale production using roll-to-roll technology, which is promising for the wide use of the supercapacitor in high-frequency electronic devices.

Topographic Data Analysis of Observed Wind Data Recorded at 15 Different Stations in Thailand

This study focuses on the collection and observation of mean wind speed and power density of 15 stations in Thailand merged with the topographic map of the stations. The wind data was collected by installing anemometers at 10m, 15m, 20m,25m and 30m height at 15 selected stations around Thailand. Wind Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) is used to generate mean wind speed and power density. Meanwhile, roughness and surface elevation map are produced and merged with the data in WAsP. The results showed the highest wind speed in Songkhla station which was 3.16 to 12.15m/s and on the other hand data from Narathiwat showed the lowest mean wind ranging from 1.13 to 1.72m/s. Finally, Songkhla station power density ranges from 24-1372W/m2 and in Narathiwat station ranging from 2-5W/m2 in terms of power density. In Thailand, the landscape is diverse such as plateau, plains, coastal plains, land, mountains, mountain ranges and hills. Generally, the wind speeds and directions change due to landscape. For this season, to study wind resource, investigation on topography is vital.

Effect of the bio-inspired modification of low-cost membranes with TiO2:ZnO as microbial fuel cell membranes

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a novel technique for converting biodegradable materials into electricity. In this study, the efficiency of mixed crystal (TiO2:ZnO) as a membrane modifier of a low-cost, antifouling and self-cleaning cation exchange membrane for MFCs was studied. The modification was prepared using polydopamine (PDA) as the bio-inspired glue, followed by gravity deposition of a mixture of catalyst nanoparticles (TiO2:ZnO 0.03%, 1:1 ratio) as anti-biofouling agents. The effects of the membrane modification were evaluated in terms of power density, open circuit potential, coulombic efficiency, anti-biofouling properties and also color and COD removal efficiency. The results showed that the use of the PDA-modified membrane and a mixture of catalysts facilitated the transfer of cations released during the oxidation process in the anodic compartment of the MFC, which increased the power generation in the MFC by 2.5 times and 5.7 times the current compared to pristine and PDA pristine membranes, decreased the MFC operating cycle time from 5 to 3 days, doubled the lifetime of the membranes and demonstrated higher COD removal efficiency and color removal. Finally, SEM and AFM analysis showed that the modification significantly minimized surface fouling. The modified membranes in this study proved to be a potential alternative to the expensive membranes currently used in MFCs, furthermore, this modification could be an interesting alternative modification for other potential membranes for use in MFCs, due to the fact that the catalyst activation was only performed with visible light (artificial and solar), which could decrease operating costs.