PhD Project by Jitka Urbankova
Project Title: Miniaturized Microbial Solar Cells
Group: Biomaterial Microsystems
Supervisor: Stephan Sylvest Keller
Project description
In microbial solar cells (MSCs), oxygenic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria or algae are used to capture light, carry out charge separation of water and transfer electrons to an electrode generating electrical power. The advantage of MSCs is that the energy source is solar light, which is virtually unlimited. Furthermore, compared to traditional solar cells, solar cells based on oxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms are potentially able to deliver current in the dark where organic matter accumulated during operation in daylight conditions is processed by the microbes.
MSCs require a suitable hosting support for 3D microbial biofilms, which cannot be efficiently electrochemically connected to electrodes with poorly defined architecture. We believe that this is a major limitation, as mainly the microorganisms in close proximity to the electrode contribute to the electron transfer.
The goal of the PhD project is design, fabricate and investigate carbon micro- and nanoelectrodes in order to enhance energy harvesting from cyanobacteria and construction of MSC device.
The project belongs under ERC Consolidator Grant project PHOENEEX and is based on cooperation between DTU Nanolab and DTU Bioengineering.
Group: Biomaterial Microsystems
Supervisor: Stephan Sylvest Keller
Project description
In microbial solar cells (MSCs), oxygenic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria or algae are used to capture light, carry out charge separation of water and transfer electrons to an electrode generating electrical power. The advantage of MSCs is that the energy source is solar light, which is virtually unlimited. Furthermore, compared to traditional solar cells, solar cells based on oxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms are potentially able to deliver current in the dark where organic matter accumulated during operation in daylight conditions is processed by the microbes.
MSCs require a suitable hosting support for 3D microbial biofilms, which cannot be efficiently electrochemically connected to electrodes with poorly defined architecture. We believe that this is a major limitation, as mainly the microorganisms in close proximity to the electrode contribute to the electron transfer.
The goal of the PhD project is design, fabricate and investigate carbon micro- and nanoelectrodes in order to enhance energy harvesting from cyanobacteria and construction of MSC device.
The project belongs under ERC Consolidator Grant project PHOENEEX and is based on cooperation between DTU Nanolab and DTU Bioengineering.
Contact
Jitka Urbankova PhD student
Contact
Stephan Sylvest Keller Professor