MFCs for Carbon Capture

Project title: Photo-Biologically Driven CO2 Reduction Processes and Energy Generation

EPSRC grant no: EP/H046305/1

This EPSRC-funded project  is based on a close collaboration between the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (UWE), the University of Bath and the University of Bristol.

Project Aim:

The aim is to produce a photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (p-MFC) that will produce electricity using light and atmospheric carbon. This study comprises two main research aspects: the production of a photosynthetic microbial fuel cell and the enhancement of photoautotrophic growth through a nanotechnology that traps and concentrates atmospheric carbon.

The microbial fuel cell technology involves microorganisms that utilise organic matter for the direct production of electricity. The p-MFCs developed in this study will firstly introduce photoautotrophic organisms in order to produce organic matter from light and atmospheric carbon. This organic matter will then be used as the fuel for the cell growth and the production of electricity. This is analogous to the simplest naturally found ecosystems. The function of such a system could thus be defined as carbon-neutral. As a second step, the nanotechnology developed by the University of Bath (Metal Organic Framework) will be integrated in the photosynthetic microbial fuel cell in order to enhance the carbon fixation of the phototrophic microorganisms, thus, enhancing the p-MFC efficiency.

Page last updated 25 October 2012