Electroconductive hydrogel as an anode for the Arthrospira platensis based photobiofuel cell

Abstract Photobiofuel cells (PBFC) as ecological and self-sustainable energy sources are essential in a variety of monitoring applications. To put this technology in practice there is a number cells aspects to be improved, and one of them is electrodes material. Biocompatibility, conductivity and large surface are between the most reliable properties of such materials. In this article, we report on the development of a laboratory photobiofuel cell with new electrode materials based on an electrically conductive hydrogel with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). In the course of the research work, the values of current and power density of 3.1 ± 0.2 µA/cm 2 and 7.6 ± 0.2 µW/cm 2 were achieved, respectively, by optimizing the parameters of the biomass used and adding a mediator. Also, we demonstrate that the addition of multi-walled nanotubes enhances the hydrogel conductivity, whereas the immobilization of cyanobacteria diminishes it.