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Decoration of graphite fiber fabric cathode with electron transfer assisting material for enhanced bioelectrochemical methane production

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Abstract

The surface of graphite fiber fabric (GFF) was mounted with an electron transfer assisting material, such as Ni, Fe, or ammonia, along with multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) to enhance the growth of electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) using an electrophoretic deposition method. The decorated surface of GFF was changed to rough and porous, and the electric conductivity was improved from 7.52 to less than 0.2 Ω cm−1. The bioelectrochemical methane productions for the decorated cathodes were compared in a batch bioelectrochemical anaerobic reactor. During the enrichment of EAB on the cathode, it was observed that the decorated cathode requires a longer initial lag phase (9–23 days), but the maximum methane production rate from the control cathode is considerably improved after the enrichment of EAB. The decoration materials reduce the charge transfer resistance on the cathode for the bioelectrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide, and improve the production of methane. The effectiveness of the electron transfer assisting materials for the bioelectrochemical methane production was in the order of Ni, Fe, and ammonia. The maximum methane production rate for the cathode decorated with MWCNT and Ni was 44.8 mL CH4 L−1 d−1, which was 57.2 % higher than the control GFF cathode, and the methane yield was as much as 326.3 mL CH4 g− \({\text{COD}}_{\text{r}}^{{\text{ - }1}}\) compared to the 252.8 mL CH4 g− \({\text{COD}}_{\text{r}}^{{\text{ - }1}}\) for the control cathode, or 162.1 mL CH4 g− \({\text{COD}}_{\text{r}}^{{\text{ - }1}}\) of the anaerobic control.

Graphical abstract

Schematic diagram of electron transfer assisting material on the cathode for enhancing bioelectrochemical methane production.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (No. 2014R1A2A1A11054448).

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  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 606-791, South Korea

    Qing Feng & Young-Chae Song

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  1. Qing Feng
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Correspondence to Young-Chae Song.

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Feng, Q., Song, YC. Decoration of graphite fiber fabric cathode with electron transfer assisting material for enhanced bioelectrochemical methane production. J Appl Electrochem 46, 1211–1219 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-016-1003-8

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