Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term
Membrane separators in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) affect mass transport, internal losses, anodic biofilm development and thus, overall MFC performance. In this work, a novel composite membrane was fabricated by coating a commercial ultrafiltration (UF, 10 kDa) membrane with a conductive polyaniline...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Chemical Engineering Journal Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821125001218 |
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| author | Szabolcs Szakács László Koók Zbynek Pientka Miroslav Otmar Jan Zitka Libuše Brožová Wojciech Kujawski Tamás Rózsenberszki Adrienn Fitos-Boros Ahmed Bahaa Kyu-Jung Chae Nándor Nemestóthy Katalin Bélafi-Bakó Péter Bakonyi |
| author_facet | Szabolcs Szakács László Koók Zbynek Pientka Miroslav Otmar Jan Zitka Libuše Brožová Wojciech Kujawski Tamás Rózsenberszki Adrienn Fitos-Boros Ahmed Bahaa Kyu-Jung Chae Nándor Nemestóthy Katalin Bélafi-Bakó Péter Bakonyi |
| author_sort | Szabolcs Szakács |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Membrane separators in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) affect mass transport, internal losses, anodic biofilm development and thus, overall MFC performance. In this work, a novel composite membrane was fabricated by coating a commercial ultrafiltration (UF, 10 kDa) membrane with a conductive polyaniline (PANI) layer via cross-linking. The PANI membranes were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and water permeance tests, confirming successful and uniform coating. Long-term MFC experiments (>100 days) were conducted using acetate as sole substrate, comparing the efficiency of PANI-coated separator with the control UF membrane. PANI-MFCs demonstrated enhanced electrochemical performance, with up to two-fold peak current densities and nearly threefold Coulombic efficiencies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a marked reduction in diffusion resistances in PANI-MFCs. Cyclic voltammetry indicated the presence of multiple redox system in the anodic biofilms in PANI-MFCs, while UF-MFC showed one well-defined peak pair. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that UF and PANI lead to different microbial composition in the anodic biofilms, and that the PANI membranes facilitated colonization by electroactive microbes such as the genera Geobacter, Hydrogenophaga, and Thauera. Overall, this study demonstrated the applicability of PANI-coated UF membranes as effective and low-cost separators in MFCs, offering both improved energy recovery and favorable bioelectrochemical activity in long term. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf30270809ea4b82b5e7ca2a007ca21d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-8211 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemical Engineering Journal Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf30270809ea4b82b5e7ca2a007ca21d2025-08-20T03:56:17ZengElsevierChemical Engineering Journal Advances2666-82112025-08-012310082410.1016/j.ceja.2025.100824Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-termSzabolcs Szakács0László Koók1Zbynek Pientka2Miroslav Otmar3Jan Zitka4Libuše Brožová5Wojciech Kujawski6Tamás Rózsenberszki7Adrienn Fitos-Boros8Ahmed Bahaa9Kyu-Jung Chae10Nándor Nemestóthy11Katalin Bélafi-Bakó12Péter Bakonyi13Research Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, 8200 Veszprém, HungaryResearch Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, 8200 Veszprém, Hungary; Corresponding author.Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, AS CR, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech RepublicInstitute of Macromolecular Chemistry, AS CR, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech RepublicInstitute of Macromolecular Chemistry, AS CR, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Tailormem S.r.o., Zájezd 8, 273 43, Zájezd, Czech RepublicInstitute of Macromolecular Chemistry, AS CR, Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech RepublicFaculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Gagarin Street 7, 87-100 Toruń, PolandResearch Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, 8200 Veszprém, HungaryResearch Centre of Engineering Sciences, Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University of Pannonia, P.O. Box 158, H-8201, Veszprém, HungaryDepartment of Environmental Engineering, National Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727 Taejong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 49112, , Republic of Korea; Interdisciplinary Major of Ocean Renewable Energy Engineering, National Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727 Taejong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan, 49112, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Environmental Engineering, National Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727 Taejong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 49112, , Republic of Korea; Interdisciplinary Major of Ocean Renewable Energy Engineering, National Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 727 Taejong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan, 49112, Republic of KoreaResearch Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, 8200 Veszprém, HungaryResearch Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, 8200 Veszprém, HungaryResearch Institute on Bioengineering, Membrane Technology and Energetics, University of Pannonia, Egyetem utca 10, 8200 Veszprém, HungaryMembrane separators in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) affect mass transport, internal losses, anodic biofilm development and thus, overall MFC performance. In this work, a novel composite membrane was fabricated by coating a commercial ultrafiltration (UF, 10 kDa) membrane with a conductive polyaniline (PANI) layer via cross-linking. The PANI membranes were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and water permeance tests, confirming successful and uniform coating. Long-term MFC experiments (>100 days) were conducted using acetate as sole substrate, comparing the efficiency of PANI-coated separator with the control UF membrane. PANI-MFCs demonstrated enhanced electrochemical performance, with up to two-fold peak current densities and nearly threefold Coulombic efficiencies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a marked reduction in diffusion resistances in PANI-MFCs. Cyclic voltammetry indicated the presence of multiple redox system in the anodic biofilms in PANI-MFCs, while UF-MFC showed one well-defined peak pair. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that UF and PANI lead to different microbial composition in the anodic biofilms, and that the PANI membranes facilitated colonization by electroactive microbes such as the genera Geobacter, Hydrogenophaga, and Thauera. Overall, this study demonstrated the applicability of PANI-coated UF membranes as effective and low-cost separators in MFCs, offering both improved energy recovery and favorable bioelectrochemical activity in long term.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821125001218Bioelectrochemical systemConductive polymer coatingMicrobial fuel cellPolyanilineUltrafiltration membrane |
| spellingShingle | Szabolcs Szakács László Koók Zbynek Pientka Miroslav Otmar Jan Zitka Libuše Brožová Wojciech Kujawski Tamás Rózsenberszki Adrienn Fitos-Boros Ahmed Bahaa Kyu-Jung Chae Nándor Nemestóthy Katalin Bélafi-Bakó Péter Bakonyi Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term Chemical Engineering Journal Advances Bioelectrochemical system Conductive polymer coating Microbial fuel cell Polyaniline Ultrafiltration membrane |
| title | Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term |
| title_full | Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term |
| title_fullStr | Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term |
| title_full_unstemmed | Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term |
| title_short | Demonstration of a novel, polyaniline film-coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long-term |
| title_sort | demonstration of a novel polyaniline film coated composite membrane as an efficient separator for microbial fuel cells operated in the long term |
| topic | Bioelectrochemical system Conductive polymer coating Microbial fuel cell Polyaniline Ultrafiltration membrane |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821125001218 |
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