Bacterial nanocellulose proton exchange membranes functionalized with Reactive Black 5 for microbial fuel cells

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) represent a promising technology for renewable energy generation, effectively converting chemical energy into electricity. A critical parameter influencing MFC performance is the quality of Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs). In this study, we aimed to assess energy generation in MFCs using bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) membranes functionalized with Remazol Black 5 (RB5) as PEMs. The most favourable outcome was achieved with the BNC membrane produced with 150 mg L-1 of RB5.To characterize these membranes, we conducted ion exchange capacity (IEC) and liquid water uptake capacity (WUC) measurements, as well as analyzed their physicochemical properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Subsequently, we employed MFCs to evaluate the RB5-functionalized BNC membranes as PEMs. The results demonstrated that the IEC of the BNC/RB5 membranes was comparable to that of the conventional Nafion® membrane, emphasizing their potential suitability in MFC applications. The maximum power density of BNC-RB5 150 was 28.05 mW m-2, with an internal resistance of 0.18 mΩ m-2. This research shows that the functionalization of BNC can improve high-performance in PEMs for MFCs based in BNC, contributing to the advancement of renewable energy technologies and fostering more sustainable energy solutions.HighlightsBNC membranes with 150 mg L-1 of RB5 demonstrated the most favourable energy generation.IEC of BNC/RB5 membranes is comparable to the conventional Nafion membrane, highlighting their suitability for MFC applications.BNC's unique properties can advance the development of efficient PEMs for MFCs.