Western Sun Grant Center
Quarterly Progress Report (DOT-Funded Projects)
Reporting Period: Quarter 4
Date of Report: ____Jan. 12, 2010_____
Written by: ___Hong Liu_______
Project Title: Bio-electrolysis: Novel Technology for Hydrogen Production from
Lignocellulosic Biomass
Investigators: Hong Liu, Kaichang Li
Status [The discussion should include milestones, deliverables, and go/no go decision points.]
1. Progress toward Planned Activities:
By far, we have finished all the experimental part of the proposal tasks. In this
quarter, we focused our research on data analysis and manuscript writing.
2. Actual Accomplishments:
(1) Up to date, we have published 7 peer review papers (section 5a) and one book
chapters (section 5b). One manuscript on the optimization of non-precious
catalyst is submitted (section 5a). One manuscript on preferential utilization of
cellulosic sugars is in preparation.
(2) Our publication: “Hydrogen Production Using Single-chamber Membrane-free
Microbial Electrolysis Cells” in Water Research has been described by over 30
public reports, including NPR, OPB etc.
(3) We presented our work (7 oral and 1 poster presentations) at 2 conferences, 1
symposium, 2 workshops, and 1 university as listed in section 5.e). Dr. Liu was
invited to give a keynote talk on hydrogen production in the 2nd International
Microbial Fuel Cell Conference to be held in Korea, June 2009. A poster
presentation on task 4 was given by her student in the same conference. Dr Liu
was also invited to present our findings at ACS meeting 2010.
(4) Two Ph.D students who worked on this Sungrant project have graduated.
3. Outcomes or Impacts to Date (as appropriate):
The work completed so far significantly enhanced the understanding of some
fundamental issues about the kinetics and mechanisms of biohydrogen or electricity
generation from lignocellulosic biomass using microbial electrolysis cells. Our new
single-chamber MEC design and the development of non-previous metal free cathode
catalysts greatly increase the efficiency of the system and reduce the cost for cell
fabrication, thus increase the practical application potential of this technology. The
scientific publications and presentations we made not only advance the development of
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knowledge and attract young people to the profession, but also intriguer some industrial
collaborations for the commercialization of this technology.
4. Plans for Next Quarter
(1) Revise and publish manuscripts
(2) Prepare and present our result at ACS meeting in March, 2010
5. Publications / Presentations / Proposals Submitted since project inception:
a) Peer-reviewed articles
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
Hongqiang Hu, Yanzhen Fan and Hong Liu. Optimization of NiMo Catalyst for
Hydrogen Production in Microbial Electrolysis Cells. Submitted to Int J
Hydrogen Energy.
Hong Liu, Hongqiang Hu, Jeremy Chignell & Yanzhen Fan (2010) Microbial
electrolysis: novel technology for hydrogen production from biomass. Biofuels.
(2010) 1(1), 129–142.
Hu, H., Fan, Y., Liu, H. (2009) Hydrogen production in single-chamber tubular
microbial electrolysis cells using non-precious-metal catalysts. International
Journal of Hydrogen Energy 34 (20), 8535-8542.
Catal, T., Xu, S., Li, K., Bermek, H., Liu, H. (2008) Electricity generation from
polyalcohols in single-chamber microbial fuel cells Biosensors and
Bioelectronics, 24, 855-860.
Catal, T., Fan, Y., Li, K., Bermek, H., Liu, H. (2008) Effects of furan derivatives
and phenolic compounds on electricity generation in microbial fuel cells. Journal
of Power Sources, 180, 162-166.
Catal, T., Li,K., Bermek H., Liu, H. (2008) Electricity Production from Twelve
Monosaccharides Using Microbial Fuel Cells. Journal of Power Sources, 175,
196-200.
Hu, H., Fan, Y., Liu H. (2008) Hydrogen Production Using Single-chamber
Membrane-free Microbial Electrolysis Cells Water Research, 42(15):4172-4178.
Catal, T., Bermek, H., Li, K., Liu, H. (2008). Electricity generation from
disaccharides in microbial fuel cells. Journal of Istanbul Technical University. In
press.
b) Books and book chapters
Book chapter:
Liu, H. “Microbial Electricity and Hydrogen Generation from Cellulosic
Biomass” to be published in Biofuel and Bioenergy from Biowastes and
Residues edited by Samir K, Khanal. ASCE Publishing, 2009
c) Outreach publication & materials
Power point slides were published on the webpage of Science Education
Partnerships (SEPS) program. http://www.seps.org/node/246S. EPS program is a K-12
science outreach program located in the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing,
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CGRB, at Oregon State University. SEPS mission is to support and improve science and
math education for K-12 teachers throughout the state of Oregon.
d) Website url or other electronic outreach
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2008/Oct08/sewage.html
http://media.barometer.orst.edu/media/storage/paper854/news/2008/10/23/News/M
aking.Treasure.From.Trash-3501427.shtml
http://news.opb.org/article/3266-hydrogen-fuel-sewage-demonstrated-osu-lab/
http://www.physorg.com/news142702016.html
http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage9255.html
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/10/new-membrane-fr.html
http://womenrolemodels.org/hong-liu-converts-sewage-into-hydrogen-gas/
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/09/scientists-say-sewage-can-produce-cheaphydrogen/
http://www.waterandwastewater.com/www_services/news_center/publish/article_0
01553.shtml
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2210/
http://calais.phase2technology.com/content/fuel-cells-powered-hydrogen-sewage
e) Oral & poster presentation
Oral presentation:
(1) Liu, H. (Invited Talk), 2nd International Microbial Fuel Cell Conference, June 1012, 2009. Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Republic of Korea.
(2) Liu, H. (Invited Talk), BIO Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and
Bioenergy, Vancouver, Canada, September, 2008
(3) Liu, H. (Invited Talk), Science Education PartnershipS (SEPS) program at Oregon
State University, Corvallis, OR, August, 2008.
(4) Liu, H. (Invited Talk), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of
Sciences and Letters, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey, August, 2008.
(5) Liu, H. (Invited Talk), National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) annual
meeting, Portland, OR, July 2008
(6) Liu, H. (Invited Talk), Microbial fuel cell first international symposium. Penn State
University, State College, PA, May, 2008
(7) Hu, H. Fan, Y. Liu, H. Microbial electrohydrogenesis using single chamber
membrane-free cells. Proc. Microbial Fuel Cell First International Symposium. State
College, Pennsylvania, PA, May 2008.
Poster presentation
(1) Catal, T., Xu, S, Li, K., Bermek, H., Fan, Y., Liu, H. Generation of Bioenergy from
Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Microbial Fuel Cells. Proc. Microbial Fuel Cell First
International Symposium. State College, Pennsylvania, PA, May 27-28, 2008.
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f) Other: No
6. Patents obtained or in preparation:
Patents in preparation:
1. Single chamber microbial electrolyzer.
In this invention, we applied single-chamber design to (1) reduce the complexity, thus
cost, of the reactor, (2) decrease the internal resistance, and (3) increase the hydrogen
production.
2. Pressurized microbial electrolyzer
In this invention, we increase the pressure of the reactor, especially the partial pressure
of CO2, to (1) decrease the internal resistance, (2) increase the hydrogen production,
and (3) reduce the energy cost for hydrogen gas compression.
3. Precious metal free catalysts
In this invention, we developed Ni and Co based cathode catalyst to replace platinum
based catalyst for hydrogen production.
7. Collaborators and Partners:
Dr. Kaichang Li, Department of Wood Science, OSU
Dr. Yanzhen Fan, Department of Biological and Ecological Enigneering, OSU
Dr. Hakan Bermek, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul
Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
Dr. Charles Zhou, President of Cascade Clean Tech Company, California
8. Target Audiences
a. Audiences reached:
Graduate and undergraduate students, professionals, K-12 teachers, and general
public.
b. Methods used:
Presentations, emails, phone calls, and public reports
9. Modifications to project
No.
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