A biofuel cell is a device that directly converts microbial metabolic power into electricity using electrochemical technology. Microbial fuel cells have previously used systems with two compartments: (1) an aerated cathode compartment containing a chemical solution of ferric cyanide and oxygen; and (2) an anode compartment containing bacterial cells electron mediator and reduced substrate. MSU’s invention is an electrochemical bioreactor system with a single compartment containing first electrode second electrode electrically conductive material connecting the electrodes electrolyte for providing ionic conductivity between electrodes and biocatalyst. The electrochemical bioreactor system has an improved electrode that has applications for biocatalytic synthesis. The invention would be useful to produce electricity using electrical energy as a source of reducing power in fermentation or enzymatic reactions and using electron mediators and biocatalyst such as cells or enzymes. IP Protection Status: Covered by US patent 7250288. Additional patents pending.
Single Compartment Electrochemical Bioreactor System
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