Yeast and carbon nanotube based biocatalyst developed by synergetic effects of covalent bonding and hydrophobic interaction for performance enhancement of membraneless microbial fuel cell

Abstract

Membraneless microbial fuel cell (MFC) employing new microbial catalyst formed as yeast cultivated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and carbon nanotube (yeast/CNT) is suggested. To analyze its catalytic activity and performance and stability of MFC, several characterizations are performed. According to the characterizations, the catalyst shows excellent catalytic activities by facile transfer of electrons via reactions of NAD, FAD, cytochrome c and cytochrome a3, while it induces high maximum power density (MPD) (344mW·m^-2). It implies that adoption of yeast induces increases in catalytic activity and MFC performance. Furthermore, MPD is maintained to 86% of initial value even after eight days, showing excellent MFC stability.

Keywords: Carbon nanotube; Membraneless; Microbial fuel cell; Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; Yeast cell.