Munching microbes feed fuel cell

July 30/August 6, 2003

Researchers from the Ernst Moritz Arndt University in Germany have found a way to harvest the energy needed to power a fuel cell from chemical reactions that occur when E. coli bacteria consume sugar.

The researchers' prototype microbial fuel cell captures the hydrogen produced when the microorganisms metabolize carbohydrates like sugar in the absence of air. Most fuel cells use hydrogen as fuel, capturing the energy released when hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce water.

The key to the researchers' prototype, which produces up to 1.5 thousandths of an amp and can run for hours at a time, is that the anode is coated with a conducting polymer. This layer allows hydrogen to diffuse through, but blocks larger molecules. It is also involved in an oxidation reaction that cleanses the anode of excreted metabolites that would otherwise gum up the works.

The fuel cell produces enough power to continuously run the 0.4 volt motor of a ventilator, according to the researchers.

It will take the least five years to produce practical microbial fuel cells, according to the researchers. The work appeared in issue 25 of Angewandte Chemie.



Page One

VR accommodates reality

Fractals support growing organs

Eyes off, screen off

Chip senses trace DNA

News briefs:
Laser bursts pierce fog
Electricity loosens tiny bits
Nano light stores data in polymer
See-through magnets hang tough
Munching microbes feed fuel cell
Crystal cracks nurture nanowires




Research Watch blog

View from the High Ground Q&A
How It Works

RSS Feeds:
News  | Blog

Ad links:
Buy an ad link


Advertisements:



Ad links: Clear History

Buy an ad link

 
Home     Archive     Resources    Feeds     Glossary
TRN Finder     Research Dir.    Events Dir.      Researchers     Bookshelf
   Contribute      Under Development     T-shirts etc.     Classifieds


© Copyright Technology Research News, LLC 2000-2010. All rights reserved.