The
combination of a fuel cell and photocatalysis in the same device,
called a photo fuel cell, is the next generation of energy converters.
These systems aim to convert organic pollutants and oxidants into
energy using solar energy as the driving force. However, they are
mostly designed in conventional stationary batch systems, generating
low power besides being barely applicable. In this context, membraneless
microfluidics allows the use of flow, porous electrodes, and mixed
media, improving reactant utilization and output power accordingly.
Here, we report an unprecedented reusable three-dimensional (3D) printed
microfluidic photo fuel cell (μpFC) assembled with low-content
PtO
x
/Pt dispersed on a BiVO4 photoanode and a Pt/C dark cathode, both immobilized on carbon paper.
We use fused deposition modeling for additive manufacturing a US$
2.5 μpFC with a polylactic acid filament. The system shows stable
colaminar flow and a short time light distance. As a proof-of-concept,
we used the pollutant-model rhodamine B as fuel, and O2 in an acidic medium at the cathode side. The mixed-media 3D printed
μpFC with porous electrodes produces remarkable 0.48 mW cm–2 and 4.09 mA cm–2 as maximum power
and current densities, respectively. The system operates continuously
for more than 5 h and converts 73.6% rhodamine by photoelectrochemical
processes. The 3D printed μpFC developed here shows promising
potential for pollutant mitigation concomitantly to power generation,
besides being a potential platform of tests for new (photo)electrocatalysts.