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Content archived on 2024-06-16

Biological and microbial fuel cells

Objective

Fuel cell RTD is being pursued because of its enormous potential to revolutionise power sources; providing clean and efficient power. Fuel cells mainly use hydrogen produced from non-renewable hydrocarbon sources. However the world has an abundant resource of carbon based, potential "fuels" produced naturally or via industrial processes and Bio-fuel cells have the potential to directly use a wide range of carbon sources at low-cost.

A biofuel cell works in much the same way as a conventional fuel cell but, instead of expensive catalysts like platinum, it uses biocatalysts such as enzymes, or whole organisms, for the conversion of chemical energy into electricity. Biofuel cells can be used in various applications, for example, generation of small amounts of power for remote power generators and power for a range of micro-electronic and medical applications, e.g. pacemakers. Additionally a wider use of bio-fuel cells in larger scale power generation has not really been addressed.

However the fact that bio-fuel cells can convert readily available substrates from "renewable"sources into electrical energy, presents an opportunity to make a major contribution to EU energy requirements. This also provides a means of simultaneously reducing waste treatment costs associated with many of the waste carbon sources which are the potential fuels for the fuel cells. Thus, the aim of the programme is the research and development of novel low cost, biological and microbialfuel cells via Transfer of Knowledge activities.

The knowledge transfer objectives will be implemented through:-recruitment of experienced researchers with expertise in biochemistry; microbiology, biocompatibilities of carbon materials, techniques of transfer biocatalysts to biofuel components, modeling biofuel-cells.-secondment of more experienced staff at the host- the training of staff at host and partners in the fields of Carbon -biocompatibility; the carbon sciences, fuel cell.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP6-2002-MOBILITY-3
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

TOK - Marie Curie actions-Transfer of Knowledge

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
EU contribution
No data
Address
Kensington Tce, 6
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
United Kingdom
Total cost
No data

Participants (1)