Development of cathodes with non-precious catalysts and optimization process for H‚ capture in microbial electrolysis cells

• Grant number: 23/08692-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Adalgisa Rodrigues de Andrade
• Grantee: Alex Soares Castro
• Supervisor: Ruggero Rossi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Johns Hopkins University (JHU), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/24916-0 - Development of a Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) for biohydrogen (bio-H2) production from glycerol oxidation, BP.DR

Abstract

Hydrogen production has been calling the attention of several investigators. The ongoing scholarship in Brazil (grant number 2019/24916-0) aims at the construction of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) for H‚ production, a device to generate H‚, and important by-products from the oxidation of glycerol. Until now, satisfactory results have been obtained in the project. Power density curves showed that after operated as an MEC, the power density was 42% higher than the initial value, while after operating as an MFC the power density dropped by 45%. Now, in this BEPE project we plan one year at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) under the supervision of Dr. Ruggero Rossi, a renowned expert in the bioelectrochemical field. His research group has been investigating the use of various catalysts (Ni, Mo, and Pt) as cathodes for the H‚ production in MECs. Results about the treatment of brush carbon electrodes showed that there was a 90% decrease in the anode resistances of the treated carbon cloth and a 5% decrease in treated brushes compared to unmodified controls. In addition, Rossi's research group has great knowledge about MEC configurations to improve MEC performance, getting, for example, H‚ production rate of 72 ± LH‚/L-d in a double-chambered MEC. Therefore, through the investigation of new cathodes and its investigation of their applicability as electrodes for hydrogen evolution reduction in MECs, investigation of different architecture of MEC, and most important, optimization of the H‚ capture in MECs, this research Internship abroad will be a great differential to the grantee once that can open new insights for tuning the H‚ production in an ongoing project in Brazil, and also consolidate the new line of research under development in the electrochemistry group of Ribeirão Preto.