Improved cathode for high efficient microbial-catalyzed reduction in microbial electrosynthesis cells

Microbial electrosynthesis cells (MECs) are devices wherein microorganisms can electrochemically interact with electrodes, directly donating or accepting electrons from electrode surfaces. Here, we developed a novel cathode by using nickel nanowires anchored to graphite for the improvement of microbial-catalyzed reduction in MEC cathode chamber. This porous nickel-nanowire-network-coated graphite electrode increased the interfacial area and interfacial interactions between the cathode surface and the microbial biofilm. A 2.3 fold increase in bio-reduction rate over the untreated graphite was observed. Around 282 mM day−1 m−2 of acetate resulting from the bio-reduction of carbon dioxide by Sporomusa was produced with 82 ± 14% of the electrons consumed being recovered in acetate.