Biological and Stand-Alone Super-Capacitors for Water Treatment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018166760-A1
Application number	US-201615571089-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 2, 2016
Priority date	May 1, 2015
Publication date	Jun 14, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Supercapacitive bioelectrical systems (SC-BESs) wherein the anode and cathode act as electrodes for a self-powered internal supercapacitor. The BES may further be enhanced by the use of optimized catalysts and enzymes to increase cell voltage and the use of a third capacitive electrode (AdE) short-circuited to the BES cathode and coupled to the BES anode to improve the power output of the self-powered internal supercapacitor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A supercapacitive bioelectrochemical system (SC-BES) comprising:
an anode colonized with cultures of electroactive bacteria; a cathode comprising a catalyst; and an internal supercapacitor.

2 . The SC-BES of claim 1 further comprising a third, additional electrode (AdE)

3 . The SC-BES of claim 2 wherein the AdE is short circuited to the cathode and coupled with the anode.

4 . The SC-BES of claim 2 wherein the AdE comprises high surface area carbonaceous material.

5 . The SC-BES of claim 1 wherein the internal supercapacitor is able to recharge in less than 1 minute.

6 . The SC-BES of claim 1 wherein the catalyst catalyzes the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).

7 . The SC-BES of claim 2 wherein the catalyst comprises a high surface area platinum-free material.

8 . The SC-BES of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is a metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N—C) material and wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ag, V, Mo, and W.

9 . The SC-BES of claim 1 wherein the catalyst is based on a metal-X-carbon material and wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ag, V, Mo, and W and X is selected from the group consisting of S, P, B, Al, O, and N.

10 . The SC-BES of claim 1 further comprising a water desalination chamber positioned between the anode and cathode and separated from the cathode by an anion exchange membrane and separated from the anode by a cation exchange membrane.

11 . The SC-BES of claim 10 further comprising a third, additional electrode (AdE) short circuited to the cathode and coupled with the anode and positioned between the anion exchange membrane and the cathode.

12 . The SC-BES of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of supercapacitive bioelectrochemical systems connected in series.

13 . The SC-BES of claim 12 wherein one of the SC-BES comprises a third, additional electrode (Ad HER ) and is optimized for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and wherein the voltage generated by the other SC-BES in the series drives the potential of the Ad HER towards the HER pathway.

14 . A method for generating power from wastewater comprising:
providing a supercapacitive bioelectrochemical system (SC-BES) comprising:
an anode colonized with cultures of electrolytic bacteria;
a cathode comprising a catalyst;
an internal supercapacitor;
using wastewater containing organics to the SC-BES so that the electroactive bacteria are able to oxidize the organics present in the wastewater and ORR cathode is able to reduce oxygen to produce a net flow of electrons through an external circuit and ion flow in the electrolyte. Electrodes stores surface charge counterbalanced by ions as an internal supercapacitor; storing surface charges and ions in the internal supercapacitor; and releasing the stored surface charges and ions via a galvanostatic discharge pulse to produce a power output.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the SC-BES further comprises a third, additional electrode (AdE).

16 . The method of claim 14 further comprising a water desalination chamber positioned between the anode and cathode and separated from the cathode by an anion exchange membrane and separated from the anode by a cation exchange membrane.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising a third, additional electrode (AdE) short circuited to the cathode and coupled with the anode and positioned between the anion exchange membrane and the cathode.

18 . The method of claim 14 wherein the catalyst is a metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N—C) material and wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ag, V, Mo, and W.

19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the catalyst is based on a metal-X-carbon material and wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ag, V, Mo, and W and X is selected from the group consisting of S, P, B, Al, O, and N.

Assignees

• Santoro Carlo
• Serov Alexey
• Atanassov Plamen B
• Soavi Francesca
• Arbizzani Catia
• Stc Unm
• Univ Bologna Alma Mater Studiorum

Inventors

• Santoro Carlo
• Serov Alexey
• Atanassov Plamen B
• Soavi Francesca
• Arbizzani Catia

Classifications

• H01G11/08

  Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component · CPC title

• C02F1/4672 Primary

  by electrooxydation · CPC title

• H01M16/003 Primary

  of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers · CPC title

• C02F1/4691

  Capacitive deionisation · CPC title

• H01M8/16

  Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts · CPC title