| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/H019480/1 |
| Title: |
The Supergen Biological Fuel Cells Consortium 2010-2014 (CORE) |
| Principal Investigator: |
Armstrong, Professor FA |
| Other Investigators: |
| Scott, Professor K |
Greenman, Emeritus Professor J |
Curtis, Professor TP |
| Melhuish, Professor C |
Dinsdale, Professor R |
Guwy, Professor A |
| Avignone Rossa, Professor CA |
Premier, Emeritus Professor GC |
Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Dr J |
| Slade, Professor RCT |
Head, Professor I |
Guo, Professor ZX |
| Pickett, Professor CJ |
Sloan, Professor WT |
Thumser, Dr A |
| Yu, Professor EH |
Varcoe, Professor JR |
Quince, Prof. C |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Mathematical & Physical Sciences Div |
| Organisation: |
University of Oxford |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research |
| Starts: |
18 April 2010 |
Ends: |
15 October 2014 |
Value (£): |
3,374,042
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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16 Oct 2009
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SUPERGEN 4 Renewals Interview Panel
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The Supergen Biological Fuel Cells Consortium is developing advanced technologies that exploit the special properties of biological systems for energy production. A fuel cell produces electricity by reacting a fuel (such as hydrogen or methanol) with oxygen (from air) at a pair of electrodes instead of by combustion,which produces only heat. Normally, fuel cells require expensive components such as special catalysts (platinum) and membranes. In contrast, biological fuel cells use whole organisms or isolated enzymes as catalysts, and a membrane may not be necessary. Two kinds of fuel cell are under development - microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and enzyme-based fuel cells. MFCs have an important role to play in improving our environment and conserving energy whereas enzyme-based fuel cells (EFCs) provide unique opportunities for new kinds of fuel cells, including ones that can be made very small for niche applications such as implantable power sources. MFCs use bacteria, held in contact with an electrode, to convert organic matter (the fuel) into electrical power. They can also be used to remove (oxidising) contaminants from water supplies with the advantage that the electrical power that is simultaneously produced offsets the energy costs for remediation. EFCs exploit the high activities, efficiencies and selectivities of enzymes, recognising that in most cases, and particularly when attached to an electrode, their performance is far superior to man-made catalysts. The Consortium combines expertise in several areas and plans to advance the field on several fronts. These include the following: developing a clear understanding of how microbes colonise electrodes, how useful bacteria can be sustained and undesirable microbes deterred from colonising; understanding and improving the way that electrical charge is transferred between bacteria and electrodes; optimising the design of electrodes from cheap and abundant materials, focusing on such factors as surface chemistry porosity and conductivity; designing novel fuel cells for small-scale special applications; last but not least, finding new ways to replace platinum as the electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ox.ac.uk |