Microbial Fuel Cell

Seven Microbial Fuel Cells created from sedimentary mud.

Seven different anodes were used ranging from carbon cloth to a sponge covered with carbon paint.

An 8th grade science fair project by Max Buster of Boulder Colorado.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Microbial Fuel Cell
• Max Buster
• Boulder
• Summit Middle School
• Science Fair
• sedimentary mud
• carbon paint

[jayofboulder]

100% black mud...nothing else.

Just make sure the mud is rich in organic material. ie rich black mud. Don't use mud that has a lot of clay. This mud came from a drainage ditch.

One electrode buried in the mud and one electrode suspended in the water above the mud, both in the same bucket.

[JAMES963852]

excuse me, u got the voltage in VAC or VDC ???

[JAMES963852]

what is the volume of the magnesium in this experiment ?

And do u mix with others chemical ? or only water ?

may i know that ?

[jskardon]

Yes, Vout is too high for  MFC....but a nice job anyway.

[yeayeayea010101]

Not to be a jerk, but 1.5V is above the theoretical max. for an MFC, so chances are this is just galvanic corrosion. A lot of the anodes you're using will tend to corrode quickly in the MFC environment. So this charge isn't really MFC output, but a chemical reaction. Its still a cool battery, but you're not producing power, rather you're stripping electrons off of a metal, so the reaction will slow to a halt after the anode is completely corroded.

[PenhillNews]

Well done, good thinking and cool project. combined voltage of 4.5 volts is good going for science project..

[worldismine69]

nice job bro

[hprskp]

Nice Experiment!

Where did you get the carbon cloth from??

[Grundalizer]

How big are those capacitors? What did you do with them after they were charged? Nice experiment.

[prongineer]

Nice work!

The electrode that is not in the mud, is it metal?

is it completely submersed in water?

[WHAtMakesMedrEam]

I'm curious, and please excuse my air-headedness, but what is this suppose to accomplish?