Post-doctoral Research Associate

 

Research: Converting biomass sugars to hydrogen in microbial fuel cells.

Objectives: Conduct research to identify bacterial and yeast strains that can convert biomass sugars to hydrogen in microbial fuel cells through an electrochemically-assisted hydrogen production step. Investigations include:

Identify bacteria and yeast strains that are electrochemically active during conversion of biomass sugars. Carry out necessary biological and electrochemical tests on isolates to complete analyses.

Operate microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with selected electrochemically-active isolates possibly in combination with novel anodic catalysts to oxidize biomass sugars in the anode chamber and an electrochemically-assisted electrolysis step producing hydrogen in the cathode chamber. Carry out necessary electrochemical and chemical analysis to determine maximum hydrogen yields from different sugars.