Effects of bicarbonate and cathode potential on hydrogen production in a biocathode electrolysis cell

doi:10.1007/s11783-013-0584-2

Front.Environ.Sci.Eng.

2014, Vol. 8

Issue (4) : 624-630 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-013-0584-2

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effects of bicarbonate and cathode potential on hydrogen production in a biocathode electrolysis cell

Dawei LIANG^1,^2,^*(

),Yanyan LIU¹,Sikan PENG¹,Fei LAN¹,Shanfu LU^1,²,Yan XIANG^1,²

1. Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry & Environment, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
2. Beijing Key Laboratory for Advanced Functional Materials and Thin Film Technology, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China

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Abstract

A biocathode with microbial catalyst in place of a noble metal was successfully developed for hydrogen evolution in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). The strategy for fast biocathode cultivation was demonstrated. An exoelectrogenic reaction was initially extended with an H₂-full atmosphere to enrich H₂-utilizing bacteria in a MEC bioanode. This bioanode was then inversely polarized with an applied voltage in a half-cell to enrich the hydrogen-evolving biocathode. The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics of the biocathode MEC could be enhanced by increasing the bicarbonate buffer concentration from 0.05 mol·L^-1 to 0.5 mol·L^-1 and/or by decreasing the cathode potential from -0.9 V to -1.3 V vs. a saturated calomel electrode (SCE). Within the tested potential region in this study, the HER rate of the biocathode MEC was primarily influenced by the microbial catalytic capability. In addition, increasing bicarbonate concentration enhances the electric migration rate of proton carriers. As a consequence, more mass H⁺ can be released to accelerate the biocathode-catalyzed HER rate. A hydrogen production rate of 8.44 m³·m^-3·d^-1 with a current density of 951.6 A·m^-3 was obtained using the biocathode MEC under a cathode potential of -1.3 V vs. SCE and 0.4 mol·L^-1 bicarbonate. This study provided information on the optimization of hydrogen production in biocathode MEC and expanded the practical applications thereof.

Keywords microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) biocathode hydrogen production bicarbonate cathode potential

Corresponding Author(s): Dawei LIANG

Issue Date: 11 June 2014

Cite this article:

Dawei LIANG,Yanyan LIU,Sikan PENG, et al. Effects of bicarbonate and cathode potential on hydrogen production in a biocathode electrolysis cell[J]. Front.Environ.Sci.Eng., 2014, 8(4): 624-630.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-013-0584-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2014/V8/I4/624

Fig.1 Schematic diagram of the start-up procedure for the biocathode cultivation stepwise in three consecutive biocatalyzed electrochemical cells: (a) MEC 1, a MEC with a bioanode to enrich H₂-utilizing bacteria; (b) MEC 2, a electrochemical half-cell with a biocathode to cultivate H₂-evolving bacteria; (c) MEC 3, a MEC consists of a bioanode from MEC 1 and a biocathode from MEC 2

Fig.2 Current density of biocathode MEC 2 during start-up period at a cathode potential of -1.1 V vs. SCE (Arrow: supplementing the effluent from the MEC 1; Control-1: a MEC with a bare graphite felt acting as the cathode; Control-2: a MEC with a cathode obtained from the control MEC 1 without growing H₂-evolving bacteria)

Fig.3 CV analysis of the biocathodein MEC 2. (Control-1: a MEC with a bare graphite felt acting as the cathode; Control-2: a MEC with a cathode obtained from the bioanode in control MEC 1 without growing H₂-evolving bacteria; Scanning rate: 50 mV·s^-1)

Fig.4 Potential effect on the performance of MEC 2. (a) Current density and HPR are increased with the decreasing cathode potential (biocathode: circle, Blank Control: inverted triangle); the inset is the linear relationship of log I-η of biocathode MEC 2 (square); (b) The variation of cathodic recovery rate (R_cat) of MEC 2 with cathode potential. (Error bars±SD is based on the average measured under stable operating conditions with 0.4 mol·L^-1bicarbonate buffer)

Fig.5 Effect of bicarbonate buffer concentration on the performance of MEC 2. (a) Current density and HPR were enhanced with increasing bicarbonate buffer concentrations (Biocathode: circle; Control: inverted triangle); (b) the variation of cathodic recovery rate (R_cat, square) and energy recover rate (η, diamond) of the biocathode MEC 2 with the varying bicarbonate buffer concentrations (Error bars±SD are based on averages measured under stable operation conditions; -1.2 V vs. SCE of a constant cathode potential)

Fig.6 SEM images showing the surface morphology of the enriched biocathode. (a) bare graphite fiber acting as control; (b) biocathode graphite fiber with microorganisms; (c) graphite fiber with the precipitate

Tab.1 HPR and cathodic H₂ recovery rate in the single-chamber biocathode MEC

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