Enhancement in hydrogen evolution using Au-TiO₂ hollow spheres with microbial devices modified with conjugated oligoelectrolytes.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Although photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting heralds the emergence of the hydrogen economy, the need for external bias and low efficiency stymies the widespread application of this technology. By coupling water splitting (in a PEC cell) to a microbial fuel cell (MFC) using Escherichia coli as the biocatalyst, this work aims to successfully demonstrate a sustainable hybrid PEC-MFC platform functioning solely by biocatalysis and solar energy, at zero bias. Through further chemical modification of the photo-anode (in the PEC cell) and biofilm (in the MFC), the performance of the hybrid system is expected to improve in terms of the photocurrent generated and hydrogen evolved.

Methods

The hybrid system constitutes the interconnected PEC cell with the MFC.

SUBMITTER: Ngaw CK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5515218 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature