Development of low-cost block-shape anodes for practical soil microbial fuel cells

In this study, an anode electrode made in the shape of a block was proposed to help advance the practical application of soil microbial fuel cells. To lower the cost, rice husks from industrial waste and Bokuju, a commonly used ink in Japan, were used as electrode materials. The block-like anode improved the easiness of handling and physical strength of the electrode compared to the commonly used sheet-like anodes. As a result of the improved physical stability of the electrode, stable power generation over the long term was confirmed. It was also found that the anode performance was affected by the ratio of rice husk charcoal to Bokuju in the electrode material. (c) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

This study proposes a block-shaped anode electrode to aid in the practical application of soil microbial fuel cells. Rice husks and Bokuju ink were used as electrode materials to reduce cost. The block-like anode improved handling ease and physical strength compared to sheet-like anodes. The improved physical stability of the electrode led to stable long-term power generation. Anode performance was found to be affected by the ratio of rice husk charcoal to Bokuju in the electrode material.