Solid-State Microbial Battery for Efficient Energy Conversion
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Summary
Problems
Microbial fuel cells face efficiency issues due to voltage loss at the cathode, oxygen diffusion into the anode compartment, and methane production, limiting the effective conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy.
Innovation solutions
A microbial battery with a re-oxidizable solid-state cathode that changes composition from oxidized to reduced and back, analogous to a rechargeable battery, avoiding oxygen use and operating in a single chamber to prevent diffusion and methane production.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If oxygen gas is used at the cathode to receive electrons, then electrical power can be generated, but voltage loss occurs and dissolved oxygen diffuses into the anode compartment causing methane production
Why choose this principle:
The patent changes the cathode material from oxygen gas to solid-state metal oxides (such as MnO2, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, Co3O4, NiO, CuO, ZnO, PbO2, Bi2O3, MoO3, WO3, V2O5, Cr2O3, TiO2, and their mixtures). This parameter change in cathode composition eliminates the voltage loss and oxygen diffusion problems associated with gaseous oxygen while maintaining electrical power generation capability.
Principle concept:
If oxygen gas is used at the cathode to receive electrons, then electrical power can be generated, but voltage loss occurs and dissolved oxygen diffuses into the anode compartment causing methane production
Why choose this principle:
The patent employs inexpensive solid-state metal oxide materials that can be easily replaced and regenerated. These materials serve as single-use or limited-use cathodes that are discarded or regenerated after depletion, avoiding the ongoing costs and inefficiencies of continuous oxygen supply systems.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A microbial battery with a re-oxidizable solid-state cathode that changes composition from oxidized to reduced and back, analogous to a rechargeable battery, avoiding oxygen use and operating in a single chamber to prevent diffusion and methane production.
Abstract
A microbial battery is provided. At the anode, microbial activity provides electrons to an external circuit. The cathode is a solid state composition capable of receiving the electrons from the external circuit and changing from an oxidized cathode composition to a reduced cathode composition. Thus, no external source of oxygen is needed at the cathode, unlike conventional microbial fuel cells. The cathode can be removed from the microbial battery, re-oxidized in a separate oxidation process, and then replaced in the microbial battery. This regeneration of the cathode amounts to recharging the microbial battery.