Study on the Changes in the Microcosmic Environment in Forward Osmosis Membranes to Reduce Membrane Resistance

• Published in: Membranes (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 12; p. 1203
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yang, Duan, Liang, Liu, Xiang, Song, Yonghui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29-11-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Analysis; Biochemical fuel cells; Bioelectricity; Electric power production; Electrodes; Experiments; Fuel cell industry; Fuel cells; Membrane resistance; Membranes; Microenvironments; Microorganisms; Moisture content; Osmosis; osmotic microbial fuel cell (OsMFC); phase transition; Phase transitions; Purification; Reclamation; Sewage; Spectrum analysis; Substrates; Wastewater; Wastewater renovation; Wastewater treatment; Water content; water flux; Water reclamation; China; Beijing China; water content; water flux; phase transition; membrane resistance; osmotic microbial fuel cell (OsMFC)
• ISSN: 2077-0375; 2077-0375
• DOI: 10.3390/membranes12121203

Osmotic microbial fuel cells (OsMFCs) are an emerging wastewater treatment technology in bioelectricity generation, organic substrate removal, and wastewater reclamation. To address this issue, proton-conductive sites were strengthened after using the forward osmosis (FO) membrane by reducing the membrane resistance. The mechanism of improving electricity generation was attributed mainly to the unique characteristics of the membrane material and the water flux characteristics of the FO membrane. In particular, only when the concentration of catholyte was greater than 0.3 M was the membrane resistance the main contributor to the overall internal resistance. Meanwhile, through the simulation of the concentration inside the membrane, the changes in the membrane thickness direction and the phase transition of the internal structure of the membrane from the dry state (0% water content) to the expansion state (>50%water content) were analyzed, which were influenced by the water flux, further explaining the important role of the membrane’s microenvironment in reducing the membrane impedance. This further opens a novel avenue for the use of OsMFCs in practical engineering applications.