A High Power‐Density, Mediator‐Free, Microfluidic Biophotovoltaic Device for Cyanobacterial Cells. Issue 2 (16th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bombelli, Paolo; Müller, Thomas; Herling, Therese W.; Howe, Christopher J.; Knowles, Tuomas P. J.
• Is Part Of: Advanced energy materials. Volume 5:Issue 2(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2014-09-16
• Subjects: Energy harvesting -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Materials -- Periodicals; Photovoltaics -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Thermoelectric materials -- Periodicals; 621.31
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201401299
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1614-6832

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Biophotovoltaics has emerged as a promising technology for generating renewable energy because it relies on living organisms as inexpensive, self‐repairing, and readily available catalysts to produce electricity from an abundant resource: sunlight. The efficiency of biophotovoltaic cells, however, has remained significantly lower than that achievable through synthetic materials. Here, a platform is devised to harness the large power densities afforded by miniaturized geometries. To this effect, a soft‐lithography approach is developed for the fabrication of microfluidic biophotovoltaic devices that do not require membranes or mediators. <italic>Synechocystis sp.</italic> PCC 6803 cells are injected and allowed to settle on the anode, permitting the physical proximity between cells and electrode required for mediator‐free operation. Power densities of above 100 mW m^‐2 are demonstrated for a chlorophyll concentration of 100 μM under white light, which is a high value for biophotovoltaic devices without extrinsic supply of additional energy.</p> </abstract>