In situ fabrication of electrically conducting bacterial cellulose-polyaniline-titanium-dioxide composites with the immobilization of Shewanella xiamenensis and its application as bioanode in microbial fuel cell

Abstract The electrical conducting bacterial cellulose/polyaniline (BC/PANI) based composites were synthesized over in situ polymerization of aniline onto BC with ammonium-persulphate (APS) and chloride hexahydrate of iron (III) as oxidant (FeCl3·6H2O). The conductivity of synthesized BC was improved in the presence of a titanium-dioxide (TiO2) coating. The conductivity of BC/PANI/TiO2/APS was 3.7 S/m compare 2.9 S/m and 2.67 S/m with BC/PANI/TiO2/FeCl3·6H2O and BC/PANI/APS, respectively. Moreover, when using the BC/PANI/TiO2/APS as anode with the immobilization of Shewanella xiamenensis, an improved efficiency of microbial fuel cell was observed. The power-density maximized 38.89 W/m3 with BC/PANI/TiO2/APS anode compared with 2.57 W/m3 in the case of bare BC anode. These results will serve as a good base for the development of compact microbial fuel cell with high power density.