links to materials online

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) for fuel cells:

1) Nafion /C₇HF₁₃O₅S . C₂F₄/ Nafion is a sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer discovered in the late 1960s by Walther Grot of DuPont.[1] It is the first of a class of synthetic polymers with ionic properties which are called ionomers. Nafion's unique ionic properties are a result of incorporating perfluorovinyl ether groups terminated with sulfonate groups onto a tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) backbone.[2][3] Nafion has received a considerable amount of attention as a proton conductor for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells because of its excellent thermal and mechanical stability.
- http://fuelcellsetc.com/store/Nafion
- http://fuelcellstore.com/membranes/nafion
- https://www.chemours.com/Nafion/en_US/products/nafion.html
2) Fumion // Fumion is registered trademark of German based industry Fumatech
- http://www.fumatech.com/EN/Membranes/Products/


Laboratory equipment (Slovenia):

1) Mikro+Polo
 - http://market.mikro-polo.si/katalog.aspx/29427/Laboratorijski-pribor
2) Laboratorijum
- http://www.laboratorijum.si/ponudba/laboratorijski-pribor/
3) Golias
- http://www.golias.si/ & http://www.scilabware.com/Flasks/c-1-54/
4) Labena
- http://www.labena.si/index.php/produkti/splosni-in-potrosni-laboratorijski-material/dispenzerji
5) Donau LAb
- http://donaulab.si/Produkti

Agar agar
http://www.mokca.si/etrgovina/dodatki-za-peko-in-kuhanje/eko-agar-agar-zelirno-sredstvo/
https://www.malinca.si/agar-agar-20g.html
https://trgovina.mercator.si/market/izdelek/6706038/zelirno-sredstvo-agar-agar-ruschin-30g

microbiological cultures
Lactobacillus:
- Megal http://www.megal.si/index.php/prodajni-program/pripomocki-za-sirarstvo
- Biotehnični center naklo http://www.bc-naklo.si/index.php?id=215
http://www.mtc-holding.com/en/contact.php
http://www.chr-hansen.com/probiotic-supplements-and-infant-formula/cards/collection-cards/standard-offerings/our-probiotic-strains?cid={55F599A2-DB87-41CE-BEFA-260A0FDD4BAF}&pid={00E61D56-8E8E-4605-8E6E-DCD891A48903}

Coulplers
- http://www.seltron.si/material-za-vodovod/cevi-in-fitingi/alkaten/spojke.html
- http://www.kotu.si/index.php/vrt/namakalni-sistemi-zalivanje-vrta.html?p=9
- http://www.zagozen.si/si/vodovod/armature/spojke/ijoint-hitre-spojke-za-pe-cevi
- http://www.ekolux.si/hitre-spojke
- http://www.stigma-cs.si/index.php?site=sales_program&id=11&sub=41
- http://sam.si/produkti/vodovod_in_ogrevanje/vodovod/alkaten_cevi_in_spojke/294/spojka_plasson_20_do_63/
- http://jurcokd.com/trgovina/dvovijacnik-pvc-za-vodo-2x34
- http://www.bazenska-trgovina.si/trgovina/pvc-spojni-material/dvovijacnik-ali-nipel

Plastics:
- http://www.plastikatrcek.si/prodajni-program/
- http://www.exmega.si/oblike.html
- http://www.bazenska-trgovina.si/trgovina/pvc-spojni-material/pvc-lepilna-spojka

MFC: Ljubljana: new tests 20.8. - 5.9.

Meat for tests is located as number 9 and 10. Minced meat is made of meat and fat.

New tests with horse meat started in the middle of the August. As mentioned in the previous post, meat was in the fridge for more than two weeks and it is possible that some decomposing bacterias were already there. Decomposing bacterias were located on the surface, in the middle meat looked fresh. The difference is seen on the graph. Same meat is in the bottles with two different groups: meat with a mediator (blue line and rhombuses) and mediator free meat (red line and dots). Differences can be explained with bacterias from the surface of the meat. One test bottle is mediator and meat free - it is a just probiotic culture which has one of the best current (Volt) graph (yellow line and square). Further tests might still look for different decomposing bacterias.


Down there are photos. One part of meat from first days of tests is on the top and the bottom of the content. Last days less meat is on the top (fat).

starting new tests (final prior to the exhibition) additional measurements follows:
- test bottle with just micro bacteria had no effects after one month
- meat bottles without mediator descended more (further measurements follow in next week)

1st of November update:

Voltage is more or less stabilised. Increasing of voltage is very low and it is due to more warm weather than previous days. (between 8 and 20 C)

Problem with the first bottle with just a meat - decreasing of voltage to less than half value from the others is possible to made suspicion that there is something wrong (Oxygen came to anaerobic bottle etc.)

House Layer, last week (3.-13-8.) and new generation in Ljubljana 20.8.

Here is an update: two weeks ago we have worked on the last week experimenting with bacterias for MFC. Their action was already declining, but we have managed them to run additional tests.

From the beginning of tests, each MFC was measured separately depending on the content of each fuel cell. Final experiments integrated all cells together: connected in series were capable of producing over 1,5 volts.

Current we got from MFC's didn't have enough stamina to run LED. We have also tried Joule thief and charging of a battery as a possible solution for energy harvesting.

At the end of experiments all cells were disposed to the toilet. The opening of bottles released the strong odour.

New tests need more experiments on:
- bigger surface of electrodes
- bigger and shorter protonic bridge or other
- separate three tests with the same amount of meat and bacterias, test with only meat, test with only cultures
- tests with joule thief and battery charging
- possible working on further decomposition as it might represent an important flow of organic matter
- locating of bacteria (microbial cells and organisms from the body) and gas (Co2 ...) in the anaerobic bottles

These first experiments were crucial. Next will start soon in Ljubljana.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 This weekend meat was not available, but some tests started with old equipment.

At the end of testing MFC's in Kranj, there was a plan to make new fuel cells. One part was for Vinogradsky column and another part was waiting for new tests. Because of illness meat was in the fridge for two weeks. A further study was also kept in the mind: A question of all possible different microbial cultures existing in the process of decomposing of meat (one of the previous post). Meat in the fridge had drained fluids on the bottom of a bag and all over the surface of the meat. In the centre of the meat, it had a fresh appearance. In each bottle around 200 g of meat was laid. At the time it was not important which part was taken - surface or centre. Before putting the methylene blue to the bottles, because of different readings, two bottles were separated, one bottle was extra with just microbic cultures.

A mediator is still working better, but there are already bacterias in the decomposing meat that work mediator free. Question is - are lactobacillus needed (test with just meat in water).

The difference between first and second day is also visible in meat floating on the top. This meat was minced, but it was not blended as in the original tests. Next experiment will be with blended meat.

Anaerobic pots also have one tube each for releasing CO2 and other gases into the air through water container.

MFC, house Layer, third weekend 31.7.2016

At the end of the third weekend, we (Sara, Benjamin, Z) compared results and the best option in the test of cultures is second or B option of cultures YC-X16

Cultures are mainly Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

         

 

For more precise characteristics like temperature range of culture YC-X16, a technical sheet from the producer CHR Hansen is copied on the post.

A series of graphs is pasted below: y-axis representing current in mV, x-axis are days. As graphs might contain experimental error and measurements in days is made per day and not recalculated by hours (measurements were made mostly in the afternoon or evening from 19 to 21 h) they determine that further experiments will be made with cultures YC-X16 (B)

- cultures  ABY-3 (A) + YC-X16 (B)



cultures ABY-3 (A)

cultures YC-X16 (B) 
different jars

all tests

Small deviations are shown, which are minor - more all less measurement we can look as a continuous line.
Results are better with small percentage of culture YC-X16 (B). Additional tests with bigger quantity and even smaller would be nice


Next tests:

- different volumes
- different sizes of electrodes (in diameter) and also in future different materials (test ob bio-charcoal etc.)
- negative tests (meat without cultures YC-X16 and just cultures YC-X16)
- same combinations 3 x test

MFC, house Layer, second weekend 26.7.2016

All the measurement are slowly rising or descending. With resistor also current was measured.

And some photos:

MFC - first weekend

First tests of bioreactor powered on horse meat. With the courtesy of  House Layer in Kranj, we started using a nice place for one-month testing. Before coming to Kranj preparations were mostly getting all materials and equipment needed for tests.  Methylan blue, different measuring pots (Mikro+Polo), Lactobacillus culture (Biotechnical centre Naklo), Agar, agar (food store), Inox rods for electrodes (MDM), carbon (Samson), digital multimeter (IC Elektronik), different plastic containers ... (hardware shop).

Salt bridge initial formula 300 ml of water, 30 ml of salt (NaCl) and 5 g of Agar agar. Later ratio was 10% of salt and 5% of agar agar.

Minced meat was processed in a blender to smaller pieces. Meat 17% (1/2 kg and 2 1/2 of water)

Lactobacillus - bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

Toner was added to epoxy glue

Preparation of bioreactor was mostly handled by Sara Zupanc and Benjamin Drakslar who were also suggested making additional tests on the different percentage of content of the cultures.

And the results after the end of the weekend.