Volume 46, Issue 12 pp. 17003-17014
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Microbially catalyzed enhanced bioelectrochemical performance using covalent organic framework-modified anode in a microbial fuel cell

Khurram Tahir

Khurram Tahir

Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

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Muzammil Hussain

Muzammil Hussain

Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

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Nagesh Maile

Nagesh Maile

Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

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Ahsan Abdul Ghani

Ahsan Abdul Ghani

Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

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Bolam Kim

Bolam Kim

Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

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Dae Sung Lee

Corresponding Author

Dae Sung Lee

Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

Correspondence

Dae Sung Lee, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 15 July 2022
Citations: 5

Khurram Tahir and Muzammil Hussain contributed equally to this work.

Funding information: National Research Foundation of Korea, Grant/Award Numbers: NRF-2021R1F1A1060094, NRF-2020R1A2C2100746, NRF2018R1A6A1A03024962

Summary

Electrode modification is crucial in improving the power density and bioelectrochemical performance of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The conventional carbon felt (CF) surface was modified as an anode in this study to examine an emerging class of materials known as covalent organic framework (COF). In a three-electrode system, the performance of the modified anode (TpPa-1@CF) was evaluated using various physical and bioelectrochemical techniques, demonstrating superior bioelectrochemical activity (cyclic voltammetry), reduced electrode resistance (electrochemical spectroscopy), and excellent electrode stability (chronoamperometry). With a 4.3 and 12.7-fold improvement in power (1069 mW/m2) and current (1954 mA/m2) density and steady MFC performance as compared to the uncoated electrode throughout five MFC cycles, TpPa-1@CF demonstrated better bioelectrochemical activity. Furthermore, the rough electrode surface area and numerous catalytically active sites of TpPa-1@CF promoted the microbial growth/adhesion along with substrate fluxes yielding the selective enrichment of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes (electricity-producing phyla). These results indicated that TpPa-1@CF is a promising anode material for several bioelectrochemical applications.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data available on request due to privacy/ethical restrictions

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