US 12,482,842 B2
Bio-electrochemical fuel cell
Emre Cevik, Dammam (SA); Ismail Anil, Dammam (SA); Omer Aga, Dammam (SA); and Mehmet Senel, Istanbul (TR)
Assigned to Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam (SA)
Filed by Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam (SA)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/939,504.
Prior Publication US 2024/0079624 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. H01M 8/16 (2006.01); H01M 4/90 (2006.01); H01M 4/92 (2006.01); H01M 4/96 (2006.01); H01M 8/02 (2016.01); H01M 4/86 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 8/16 (2013.01) [H01M 4/9016 (2013.01); H01M 4/92 (2013.01); H01M 4/96 (2013.01); H01M 8/02 (2013.01); H01M 2004/8684 (2013.01); H01M 2004/8689 (2013.01); H01M 2250/30 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bio-electrochemical fuel cell, comprising:
an anode;
a cathode;
a first endplate including a central aperture;
a second endplate opposite the first endplate, the second endplate including a central aperture;
a supporting plate between the first endplate and the second endplate, the supporting plate including a central aperture;
at least one first separator plate provided between the first endplate and the cathode; and
at least one second separator plate provided between the second endplate and the anode,
wherein;
the anode is between the second endplate and the supporting plate,
the cathode is between the first endplate and the supporting plate,
a first layer is directly on the anode and comprises at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme, the at least one enzyme being entrapped in an enzyme immobilization material comprising a hydrophobically modified polysaccharide having a micellar or inverted micellar structure,
a biofilm comprising photosynthetic microorganisms selected from the group consisting of green algae, cyanobacteria, and combinations thereof is present directly on a surface of the first layer of the anode,
the anode, the cathode, the first endplate, the supporting plate, the second endplate and the first and second and third separator plates are connected together to form a fuel cell assembly,
the central aperture of the first endplate receives a flow of water containing photosynthetic microorganisms selected from the group consisting of green algae, cyanobacteria, and combinations thereof;
the central aperture of the second endplate discharges the flow of water,
an application of light to the fuel cell assembly causes the biofilm to release oxygen at the anode and induces a photo-current in the anode, and
the fuel cell does not include an ion selective membrane between the anode and the cathode.