Microbial Electrocatalysis & Electrochemical Engineering

Microbial electrocatalysis refers to the use of whole microorganisms to catalyze electrode reactions. This implies that microorganisms can oxidize or reduce organic and inorganic compounds at electrodes in so-called bioelectrochemical systems (BES). They are used to produce valuable inorganic (NaOH, H2O2,…) and organic (carboxylates, alcohols,…) from waste streams such as wastewater, biorefinery effluents and more.

CMET research focuses on understanding the nature of the interaction between the microorganisms and the electrodes as well as on innovative process and technology development. For this we combine engineering approaches with molecular tools as well as materials science and electrochemistry.

ZAP involved: