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Design and development of unconventional catalytic conversion processes using electrons, photons, and microorganisms

Problem statement

Our long-term commitment to sustainability and a circular carbon economy involves unconventional catalytic conversion processes. We study various processes assisted by electrons, photons, or microorganisms to produce biofuels, chemicals, electricity, or treated water. For example, bio-electro-chemical systems, including microbial fuel cells (MFCs), electrolysis cells (MECs), and photo-assisted cells (PA-MECs), are promising technologies to simultaneously produce renewable energy and clean wastewater using active microorganisms as biocatalysts.

Our work aims to synthesize multi-functional catalysts and reactors to enhance electrical conductivity, photo-efficiency, microbiological affinity, porosity, hydrophilicity, and surface area for carbonaceous electrodes. We work with materials such as graphene oxide, metallic nanoparticles, nitride and carbide basic materials, and MXenes.

We consider new platform technologies to produce renewable biofuel and chemicals and treat wastewater using the nanotechnology and reaction engineering approach as an innovative combination to increase the productivity of these processes.

Goals

  • Develop and scale up electro-photo-bio-catalyst and -reactors
  • Propose novel processes to clean wastewater and produce electricity, chemicals, and bio-hydrogen
  • Model and simulate fuel cell performance
  • Use innovative catalysts (anode and cathode material) and reactor designs to improve fuel cell performance
EPB2023

Related People

Hend Omar Mohamed
Pewee Datoo Kolubah

Related Publications

Unraveling the influence of magnetic field on microbial and electrogenic activities in bioelectrochemical systems: A comprehensive review

by Al-Mayyahi, Park, Jadhav, Hussien, Mohamed, Castaño, Al-Qaradawi, Chae
Fuel Year: 2023 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.125889

Abstract

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), such as microbial fuel/electrolysis cells, are promising wastewater treatment and energy generationapproaches that use electrochemically active bacteria (EAB). Bacteria growth in BES is a critical factor that controls the performance of the overall system. A magnetic field (MF) is an effective way to accelerate biofilm formation and extracellular electron transfer (EET). The performance is highly dependent on the MF intensity, exposure time, shape and orientation of the magnets, and the microbial structure of the inoculum. Despite the increasing number of investigations into each factor, there is an insufficient comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of MFs in BESs. In this review, the basic mechanism of MFs, as well as the various attempts to use MFs in BESs, and their effect on the obtained performances are introduced. Particularly, the empirical effects of MF on the EAB growth, EET, enzyme activity, and BES performance. Moreover, the influence of MF on radical pairs was also interpreted to explain how MF affects EET. This review is the first attempt at understanding the background and current trends in the application of MF technologies in BESs.

Keywords

EPB HCE CRE