• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.20-26
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• 2023

Emitted CO₂ is an attractive material for microbial electrochemical CO₂ reduction. Microbial electrochemical CO₂ reduction (i.e., microbial electrosynthesis, MES) using biocatalysts has advantages compared to conventional CO₂ reduction using electrocatalysts. However, MES has several challenges, including electrode performance, biocatalysts, and reactor optimization. In this study, an MES system was investigated for optimizing reactor types, counter electrode materials, and CO₂-converting microorganisms to achieve effective CO₂ upcycling. In autotrophic cultivation (supplementation of CO₂ and H₂), CO₂ consumption of Rhodobacter sphaeroides was observed to be four times higher than that with heterotrophic cultivation (supplementation of succinic acid). The bacterial growth in an MES reactor with a single-chambered shape was two times higher than that with a double chamber (H-type MES reactor). Moreover, a single-chambered MES reactor equipped with titanium mesh as the counter electrode (anode) showed markedly increased current density in the graphite felt as a working electrode (cathode) compared to that with a graphite felt counter electrode (anode). These results demonstrate that the optimized conditions of a single chamber and titanium mesh for the counter electrode have a positive effect on microbial electrochemical CO₂ reduction.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2005

The electrosorption of U(VI) from waste water was carried out by using activated carbon fiber(ACF) felt electrode in a continuous electrosorption cell. In order to enhance the electrosorption capacity at lower potential, ACF felt was chemically modified in acidic, basic and neutral solution. Pore structure and functional groups of chemically modified ACF were examined, and the effect of treatment conditions was studied for the adsorption of U(VI). Specific surface area of all ACFs decreases by this treatment. The amount of acidic functional groups decreases with basic and neutral salt treatment, while the amount increases a lot with acidic treatment. The electrosorption capacity of U(VI) decreases on using the acid treated electrode due to the shielding effect of acidic functional groups. Base treated electrode enhances the capacity due to the reduction of acidic functional groups. The electrosorption amount of U(VI) on the base treated electrode at -0.3 V corresponds to that of ACF electrode at -0.9 V. Such a good adsorption capacity was not only due to the reduction of shielding effect but also the increase of $OH^-$ in the electric double layer on ACF surface by the application of negative potential.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.422-428
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• 2023

The electrical contact resistance between the bipolar plate (BP) and the carbon felt electrode (CFE), which are in contact by the stack clamping pressure, has a great impact on the stack efficiency because of the relatively low clamping pressure of the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) stack. In this study, a polyethylene (PE) composite-CFE hybrid bipolar plate structure is developed through a local heat welding process to reduce such contact resistance and improve cell performance. The PE matrix of the carbon fiber composite BP is locally melted to create a direct contact structure between the carbon fibers of CFE and the carbon fibers of BP, thereby reducing the electrical contact resistance. Area specific resistance (ASR) and gas permeability are measured to evaluate the performance of the PE composite-CFE hybrid bipolar plate. In addition, an acid aging test is performed to measure stack reliability. Finally, a VFRB unit cell charge/discharge test is performed to compare and analyze the performance of the developed PE composite-CFE hybrid BP and the conventional BP.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.200-205
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• 2017

The three electrodes (carbon felt) were tested in all-vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) to confirm the its usefulness. The electrode property was measured by the CV (cyclic voltammetry) method. The current ratio of maximum peak(IPA/IPC) in GF040BH5 and GF051BH3 had almost the same value compared to that in XF30A. The performances of VRFB using the each electrode were measured during 5 cycles of charge-discharge at the current density of $60mA/cm^2$. An average energy efficiency of the VRFB was 77.8%, 77.3%, and 79.2% for XF30A, GF040BH5 and GF051BH3, respectively. It was confirmed from the data that GF040BH5 and GF051BH3 is well suited for use in a VRFB as a electrode, like XF30A.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.292-299
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• 2014

In this study, nitrogen doped carbon felt (CFt) is prepared using thermal oxidation and liquid phase ammonia treatment to improve the efficiency for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB). The electrochemical properties of prepared CFt electrodes are investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and charge/discharge test. The XPS result shows that the increase of liquid phase ammonia treatment temperature leads to the increased nitrogen functional group on the CFt surface. Redox reaction characteristics using CV reveal that the liquid phase ammonia treated CFt electrodes are more reversible than the thermally oxidized CFt. When CFt is treated by the liquid phase ammonia at $300^{\circ}C$, VRFB cell energy efficiency, voltage efficiency, and current efficiency are increased about 6.93%, 1.0%, and 4.5%, respectively, compared to those of the thermally oxidized CFt. These results are because nitrogen functional groups on CFt help to improve the electrochemical properties of redox reaction between electrode and electrolyte interface.

• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.308-313
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated the electrocatalytic effects of the N and O co-doping of Graphite Felt (GF) electrode for the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) at the cathode and the anode reaction, respectively. The electrodes were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with $NH_3-O_2$ at 773 K, and its effects were compared with an electrode prepared by an O doping treatment. The surface morphology and chemical composition of the electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrocatalytic properties of these electrodes were characterized in a VRFB single cell comparing the efficiencies and performance of the electrodes at the cathode, anode, and single cell level. The results exhibited about 2% higher voltage and energy efficiencies on the N-O-GF than the O-GF electrode. It was found that the N and O co-doping was particularly effective in the enhancement of the reduction-oxidation reaction at the anode.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.836-844
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• 2009

A denitrification bacterium was isolated from riverbed soil and identified as Ochrobactrum sp., whose specific enzymes for denitrification metabolism were biochemically assayed or confirmed with specific coding genes. The denitrification activity of strain G3-1 was proportional to glucose/nitrate balance, which was consistent with the theoretical balance (0.5). The modified graphite felt cathode with neutral red, which functions as a solid electron mediator, enhanced the electron transfer from electrode to bacterial cell. The porous carbon anode was coated with a ceramic membrane and cellulose acetate film in order to permit the penetration of water molecules from the catholyte to the outside through anode, which functions as an air anode. A non-compartmented electrochemical bioreactor (NCEB) comprised of a solid electron mediator and an air anode was employed for cultivation of G3-1 cells. The intact G3-1 cells were immobilized in the solid electron mediator, by which denitrification activity was greatly increased at the lower glucose/nitrate balance than the theoretical balance (0.5). Metabolic stability of the intact G3-1 cells immobilized in the solid electron mediator was extended to 20 days, even at a glucose/nitrate balance of 0.1.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.951-960
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• 2010

Sediment works as a resource for electric cells. This paper was designed in order to verify how sediment cells work with anodic material such as metal and carbon fiber. As known quite well, sediment under sea, rivers or streams provides a furbished environment for generating electrons via some electron transfer mechanism within specific microbial population or corrosive oxidation on the metal surfaces in the presence of oxygen or water molecules. We experimented with one type of sediment cell using different anodic material so as to attain prolonged, maximum electric power. Iron, Zinc, aluminum, copper, zinc/copper, and graphite felt were tested for anodes. Also, combined type of anodes-metal embedded in the graphite fiber matrix-was experimented for better performances. The results show that the combined type of anodes exhibited sustainable electricity production for ca. 600 h with max. $0.57\;W/m^2$ Al/Graphite. Meanwhile, graphite-only electrodes produced max. $0.11\;W/m^2$ along with quite stationary electric output, and for a zinc electrode, in which the electricity generated was not stable with time, therefore resulting in relatively sharp drop in that after 100 h or so, the maximum power density was $0.64\;W/m^2$. It was observed that the corrosive reaction rates in the metal electrodes might be varied, so that strength and stability in the electric performances(voltage and current density) could be affected by them. In addition to that, COD(chemical oxygen demand) of the sediment of the cell system was reduced by 17.5~36.7% in 600 h, which implied that the organic matter in the sediment would be partially converted into non-COD substances, that is, would suggest a way for decontamination of the aged, anaerobic sediment as well. The pH reduction for all electrodes could be a sign of organic acid production due to complicated chemical changes in the sediment.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.324-330
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• 2015

The electrolyte flow rates of vanadium redox flow battery play very important role in terms of ion transfer to electrolyte, kinetics and pump efficiency in system. In this paper a vanadium redox flow battery single cell was tested to suggest the optimization criteria of electrolyte flow rates on the efficiencies. The compared electrolyte circulation flow rates in this experimental work were 15, 30 and 45 mL/min. The charge/discharge characteristics of the flow rate of 30 mL/min was the best out of all flow rates in terms of charging and discharging time. The current efficiencies, voltage efficiencies and energy efficiencies at the flow rate of 30 mL/min were the best. The IR losses obtained at thd current density of $40mA/cm^2$, at the flow rates of 15, 30 and 45 mL/min were 0.085 V, 0.042 V and 0.115 V, respectively. The charge efficiencies at the current density of $40mA/cm^2$ were 96.42%, 96.45% and 96.29% for the electrolyte flow rates of 15, 30 and 45 mL/min, respectively. The voltge efficiencies at the current density of $40mA/cm^2$ were 77.34%, 80.62% and 76.10% for the electrolyte flow rates of 15, 30 and 45 mL/min, respectively. Finally, the energy efficiencies at the current density of $40mA/cm^2$ were 74.57%, 77.76% and 73.27% for the electrolyte flow rates of 15, 30 and 45 mL/min, respectively. The optimum flow rates of electrolytes were 20 mL/min in most of operating variables of vanadium redox flow battery.