Progress and Recent Trends in Microbial Fuel Cells

Dr. Patit Paban Kundu has been a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology—Roorkee since 2016. After completing his BSc in chemistry (1986), and BTech (1989) and MTech (1992) in plastics and rubber technology from University of Calcutta, he joined the group of Prof. D.K. Tripathy at the Indian Institute of Technology—Kharagpur’s Rubber Technology Center for carrying out his doctoral research. Following his PhD in 1996, he joined as a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Technology, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, India, and was elevated to the position of professor in 2007. In 2009, he moved to University of Calcutta as a professor in the Department of Polymer Science and Technology, and stayed there until 2016. He did his postdoctoral studies in South Korea at the Inha University with Prof. S. Choe (2001–02) and at the Yonsei University with Prof. Y.G. Shul (2006), and in the United States at Iowa State University with Prof. R.C. Larock (2003). He is a polymer chemist and technologist and has been actively working in the field of fuel cells as one of his areas of expertise. To date, he has published about 200 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He has also contributed to eight book chapters and numerous conference proceedings. His interest in fuel cells includes microbial, direct methanol, and hydrogen fuel cells, and ranges from finding novel materials for fabricating membranes, electrodes, catalysts, and catalyst supports to the design of membrane electrode assemblies and flow channels. He has also successfully undertaken various national level projects in areas including microbial and direct methanol fuel cells. Dr. Kingshuk Dutta has obtained his BSc in chemistry in 2006, and BTech (in 2009), MTech (in 2011), and PhD (in 2016) in polymer science and technology from University of Calcutta. He carried out his doctoral research as a senior research fellow, funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India), in the group of Prof. Patit P. Kundu from 2012 to 2016. After completing his PhD, he worked as a national postdoctoral fellow (2016–17), funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) [Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India], in the group of Prof. Sirshendu De at the Indian Institute of Technology—Kharagpur, India. Currently, he is working as an Indo-U.S. postdoctoral fellow, funded by the SERB (DST, Government of India) and the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), in the group of Prof. Emmanuel P. Giannelis at Cornell University, United States. His areas of interest lie in the fields of polymers (especially conducting polymers), membranes, fuel cells (including bio/microbial, alcohol, and hydrogen fuel cells), and water purification. He has contributed to 36 experimental and review papers in reputed international platforms, 4 book chapters, and numerous national and international presentations.

• 1. Introduction to microbial fuel cells2. Performance trends and status of microbial fuel cells3. Configurations of microbial fuel cells4. Polymer electrolyte membranes for microbial fuel cells: Part A. Nafion-based membranes5. Polymer electrolyte membranes for microbial fuel cells: Part B. Non-nafion alternative membranes6. Bipolar membranes for microbial fuel cells7. Low-cost solutions for fabrication of microbial fuel cells: Ceramic separator and electrode modifications8. Electrodes for microbial fuel cells9. Anode catalysts and biocatalysts for microbial fuel cells10. Propellants of microbial fuel cells11. Exoelectrogens for microbial fuel cells12. Biofilm formation within microbial fuel cells13. Genetic approaches for improving performance of microbial fuel cells: Part A14. Genetic approaches for improving performance of microbial fuel cells: Part B15. Kinetics and mass transfer within microbial fuel cells16. Biochemistry and electrochemistry at the electrodes of microbial fuel cells17. Wastewater biorefinery based on microbial electrolysis cell: Opportunities and challenges18. Microbial fuel cells as a platform technology for sustainable wastewater treatment19. Microbial desalination cell technology: Functions and future prospects20. Coupled systems based on microbial fuel cells21. Commercialization aspects of microbial fuel cells