Polymer-Graphite Composite Electrodes for Methanol Oxidation in Microbial Fuel Cells: Development and Performance Analysis

Abstract

This work focuses on the study of the biocatalyzed electrolytic oxidation of methanol by bacteria in a 1M Na2SO4 solution, using a carbon paste electrode modified with poly(1,4-myrcene-co-styrene) polymer. The electrode was obtained by immersing the carbon paste electrode in the polymer for 3 hours, ensuring that the surface of the CPE was uniformly covered with a polymer film. The prepared electrode demonstrated high activity in methanol oxidation. We investigated the impact of various parameters such as scan rate, cycles, and the duration of electrode contact with bacteria. Analysis of the electrode morphology through optical microscopy revealed that the polymer was uniformly deposited on the surface. Subsequently, we studied the electrode behavior using voltammetry techniques, employing the Volta Lab PGZ100 potentiostat. The results of these techniques highlighted the existence of a catalytic effect