Bioelectricity generation using carbon felt electrode in microbial fuel cell (MFC)

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) that was configured with the carbon felt electrode and the cation exchange membrane, and inoculated with mixed culture was demonstrated to yield bioelectricity. The cell was operated under four external loads with pHs ranging from 4 to 10 and the total cell operation was monitored up to 25 days. The presented results revealed that the potentiality of maximum current and power production was achieved while hexacyanoferrate(III) used as a cathodic reaction and at neutral pH condition of media. The maximum current density 2.5 Am-2 and power density 1410 mWm-2 were observed on the 25th day at an anode potential of -378 mV. Stable and steady power was produced by MFC on the day 22nd to 25th when cell operated at 250 Ω external load. The internal resistance of the fuel cell was decreased with the increase of the operation time. Coulombic efficiency (CE %) was found 22.70 % at the stable phase of fuel cell operation.