Microbial desalination cell with sulfonated sodium (poly(ether ether ketone) as cation exchange membranes for enhancing power generation and salt reduction

Moruno Lopez, Francisco; Rubio, Juan E.; Atanassov, Plamen; Cerrato, Jose' M.; Arges, Christopher; Santoro, Carlo

Abstract

© 2018 Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a bioelectrochemical system capable of oxidizing organics, generating electricity, while reducing the salinity content of brine streams. As it is designed, anion and cation exchange membranes play an important role on the selective removal of ions from the desalination chamber. In this work, sulfonated sodium (Na+) poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) cation exchange membranes (CEM) were tested in combination with quaternary ammonium chloride poly(2,6-dimethyl 1,4-phenylene oxide) (QAPPO) anion exchange membrane (AEM). Non-patterned and patterned (varying topographical features) CEMs were investigated and assessed in this work. The results were contrasted against a commercially available CEM. This work used real seawater from the Pacific Ocean in the desalination chamber. The results displayed a high desalination rate and power generation for all the membranes, with a maximum of 78.6 ± 2.0% in salinity reduction and 235 ± 7 mW m−2 in power generation for the MDCs with the SPEEK CEM. Desalination rate and power generation achieved are higher with synthesized SPEEK membranes when compared with an available commercial CEM. An optimized combination of these types of membranes substantially improves the performances of MDC, making the system more suitable for real applications.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 7, 2018
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Mar 14, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 14, 2018
• Journal: Bioelectrochemistry
• Print ISSN: 1567-5394
• Electronic ISSN: 1878-562X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 121
• Pages: 176-184
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioelechem.2018.02.004
• Keywords: microbial desalination cells, SPEEK cation exchange membranes, desalination, power generation
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/875244
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioelechem.2018.02.004
• Contract Date: Mar 14, 2018