Innovative application of biopolymer composite as proton exchange membrane in microbial fuel cell utilizing real wastewater for electricity generation

Biopolymer composite for application as proton exchange membrane in microbial fuel cell (MFC) is investigated. Different amounts of PHB ranging from 5 to 15% (w/w) are composited within medium -chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA) matrix to produce a scl/mcl-PHA membrane. The composite is compared to Nafion membrane for improved directional proton conduction in MFC. Composites with 10 and 15% (w/w) of PHB records two-fold maximum voltage potential compared to Nafion. A power density of 601 mW/m(2) is recorded for PHB15% membrane, which is higher than that of Nafion (520 mW/ m(2)). The MFC setup with composite membrane also shows higher maximum voltage potential, water uptake, power and current densities, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) removal as well as coulombic efficiency (CE) recovery. Composite membrane exhibits stronger resistivity to oxygen diffusion from cathode compartment to anode chamber, subsequently improving the overall MFC performance with real wastewater as substrate. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.