The Supergen Biological Fuel Cells Consortium 2010-2014 (CORE)

Completed

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells, Stationary applications)
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Applications for heat and electricity)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Civil Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor FA Armstrong
Oxford Chemistry
University of Oxford

Standard

EPSRC

18 April 2010

15 October 2014

54 months

£3,374,042

Energy

South East

Energy : Energy

Professor FA Armstrong, Oxford Chemistry, University of Oxford

Dr C Avignone-Rossa, Microbial and Cellular Sciences, University of Surrey
Professor TP Curtis, Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University
Dr R Dinsdale, School of Applied Sciences, University of Glamorgan
Professor J Greenman, Applied Sciences, University of the West of England
Professor ZX Guo, Chemistry, University College London
Dr A Guwy, School of Applied Sciences, University of Glamorgan
Prof I Head, Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University
Professor C Melhuish, Computing Engineering and Maths Science, University of the West of England
Professor CJ Pickett, Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of East Anglia
Dr GC Premier, School of Technology, University of Glamorgan
Dr C Quince, Civil Engineering, University of Glasgow
Dr J Rodriguez, Water & Environmental Eng & Chemical Eng, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi
Professor K Scott, School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, Newcastle University
Professor RCT Slade, Chemistry, University of Surrey
Dr WT Sloan, Civil Engineering, University of Glasgow
Dr A Thumser, Biochemistry and Physiology, University of Surrey
Dr JR Varcoe, Chemistry, University of Surrey
Dr EH Yu, School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, Newcastle University

Project Contact, Morgan Advanced Materials and Technology
Project Contact, Chameleon Biosurfaces Ltd
Project Contact, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
Project Contact, MAST Carbon

The Supergen Biological Fuel Cells Consortium is developing advanced technologies that exploit the special properties of biological systems for energy production. A fuel cell produces electricity by reacting a fuel (such as hydrogen or methanol) with oxygen (from air) at a pair of electrodes instead of by combustion,which produces only heat. Normally, fuel cells require expensive components such as special catalysts (platinum) and membranes. In contrast, biological fuel cells use whole organisms or isolated enzymes as catalysts, and a membrane may not be necessary. Two kinds of fuel cell are under development - microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and enzyme-based fuel cells. MFCs have an important role to play in improving our environment and conserving energy whereas enzyme-based fuel cells (EFCs) provide unique opportunities for new kinds of fuel cells, including ones that can be made very small for niche applications such as implantable power sources. MFCs use bacteria, held in contact with an electrode, to convert organic matter (the fuel) into electrical power. They can also be used to remove (oxidising) contaminants from water supplies with the advantage that the electrical power that is simultaneously produced offsets the energy costs for remediation. EFCs exploit the high activities, efficiencies and selectivities of enzymes, recognising that in most cases, and particularly when attached to an electrode, their performance is far superior to man-made catalysts.The Consortium combines expertise in several areas and plans to advance the field on several fronts. These include the following: developing a clear understanding of how microbes colonise electrodes, how useful bacteria can be sustained and undesirable microbes deterred from colonising; understanding and improving the way that electrical charge is transferred between bacteria and electrodes; optimising the design of electrodes from cheap and abundant materials, focusing on such factors as surface chemistry porosity and conductivity; designing novel fuel cells for small-scale special applications; last but not least, finding new ways to replace platinum as the electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction

05/01/10