DIY Carbon Fibre Brush: Towards an Efficient

Anode in Microbial Fuel Cells for Sustainable

Wastewater Treatment
Ang Wei Lun, Billy Dragova, Chui How Yee
Woodlands Ring Secondary School

Abstract Introduction
Carbon fibers have the potential to provide significantly larger anode surface area in A microbial fuel cell (MFC) converts chemical
microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for the growth and respiration of electrogenic bacteria. A energy in to organic compounds to electrical
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach is developed to manufacture high surface area carbon energy through microbial catalysis at the anode
fiber brushes with titanium wires serving as current collectors. After the physical under anaerobic conditions. However, the
construction of the MFC, bacteria are inoculated. Over the course of 402 hours, we electricity generation is low, and further
obtained a maximum voltage of 180 mV, power production of 27.89 mW/m3 and investigations are necessary to optimize power
theoretical COD removal efficiency of 1.3% over one week. The cost evaluation production (Zhang, 2010). We therefore
showed that our MFC is affordable at S$8.63 per piece. Thus the results from this examined a new type of anode architecture
study showed the potential of using carbon fiber brushes as anode material in MFCs. based on using a carbon fibre brush as anode.

Materials and Methods

Anode
We designed a carbon fibre “brush” with diameter of 25 mm with a
length of 35 mm. The brush is made up of carbon fibre as the “hairs”
and titanium metal for “stick”. Being a fairly good conductor of
electricity, carbon fibre is used as it is also made up of many
individual cylindrical threads of carbon, capable of expanding out to a
“larger” surface to hold more electrogenic bacteria.

MFC reactor
We based our concept on the single chamber MFC consisting of 1
cylindrical acrylic pipe and 3 flat acrylic plates - 1 plate for the anode
end and 2 plates for the cathode end.

Results and Discussion

Open-circuit Voltage

From the graph it showed the startup of the bacteria which would
need time to acclimatize in the chamber, duration lasting about 125
hours before a noticeably higher voltage was achieved and
sustained.

Conclusions and Recommendations References

Impact of the project Zhang, F. et al. Microbial fuel cell cathodes with
With a higher surface area of anode, electrical output and treatment efficiency of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) diffusion layers constructed
MFC can potentially be improved. around stainless steel mesh current collectors.
Critical results and outcomes Environmental Science & Technology 44, 1490-
• Maximum voltage of 180 mV 1495 (2010)
• Power production of 27.89 mW/m3
• Theoretical COD removal efficiency of 1.3% over one week
Acknowledgments
Potential for commercialisation
We would like to thank the following: Mr. Chan Han
The MFC have the potential to perform even better in commercial scale through
Yen,, Mr. Loy Liang Teck, Mdm. Nurvanee, Mr
scale-up by increasing the reactor volume and the number and sizes of brushes used.
Ravin and Titan Engineering Pte Ltd