Porous Microbial Electrode Structure for Fast Power Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrochemical devices utilizing microorganisms, such as microbial solar cells, have low output current density and require a long time for sufficient power output after boot-up due to limited bacterial trapping on planar electrodes, and existing improvements like carbon nanowire structures do not adequately address this issue.
Innovation Solution
The use of electrodes with pores containing conductive sections and a conduction path that carry electron-donating microorganisms of different classifications or significantly different sizes, along with a method of trapping these microorganisms using magnetic nanoparticles and laser-induced convection, enhances electron transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a planar electrode such as ITO is used as the working electrode, then the electrode structure is simple, but it traps only a small number of bacteria on the electrode at the start of operation, resulting in a long waiting time of several dozen hours or longer from boot-up in order to attain sufficient output
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by forming a porous layer on the electrode surface that contains numerous pores. These pores trap microorganisms effectively, allowing the electrode to capture a large number of bacteria immediately upon boot-up rather than relying on slow proliferation. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple electrode structure while dramatically reducing boot-up time through enhanced bacterial trapping capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar two-dimensional electrode surface to a three-dimensional porous structure. This dimensional change increases the effective surface area and creates numerous trapping sites within the pores, enabling the electrode to capture many more microorganisms simultaneously. This resolves the time-loss contradiction by providing immediate high-density bacterial attachment without complex multi-layer structures.
2Productivity
If a carbon nanowire structure is formed on the surface of graphite felt or graphite plate to increase electrode surface area, then the output current density is enhanced, but there is room for further improvement from the viewpoint of attaining sufficient output in a short time after boot-up
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous layer with controlled pore sizes that efficiently trap microorganisms of various sizes. Unlike carbon nanowire structures that primarily increase surface area, this porous structure provides both increased surface area and effective physical trapping mechanisms. The pores capture bacteria immediately upon contact, enabling rapid attainment of sufficient output current density without the delayed performance seen in nanowire structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a porous layer with specific pore size distributions tailored to trap different microorganism sizes. The pore structure is optimized locally to maximize bacterial retention efficiency, allowing the electrode to achieve high current density rapidly. This localized optimization of trapping quality resolves the contradiction between enhancing current density and reducing boot-up time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for rapid and efficient power output by increasing the density and distribution of microorganisms, achieving high current density and sensitivity in a short time.
Implementation Method 1
a combination of Synechocystis and Synechococcus within the order Chroococcales in the class Oxyphotobacteria are more preferable
Implementation Method 2
a method of trapping these microorganisms using magnetic nanoparticles and laser-induced convection
Implementation Method 3
the pore has a conductive section at least on an inner face thereof, the first electrode has a conduction path that electrically connects the conductive sections of the pores to each other
Implementation Method 4
A microbial solar cell is a system that is capable of generating power solely from sunlight and water by utilizing photosynthetic bacteria and microorganisms of the phylum Cyanobacteria
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an electrochemical device utilizing microorganisms and capable of outputting sufficient power in a short time after boot-up, by means of an electrochemical device comprising a first electrode comprising a surface layer portion having at least one pore with an opening, wherein the pore has a conductive section at least on an inner face thereof, the first electrode has a conduction path that electrically connects the conductive sections of the pores to each other, and each pore carries electron-donating microorganisms of different classifications or different electron-donating microorganisms of the same classification, or electron-donating microorganisms with average particle sizes significantly different from each other; and a method of producing the same.