Stephanie Fest-Santini

Three-dimensional X-ray microcomputed tomography of carbonates and biofilm on operated cathode in single chamber microbial fuel cell

Power output limitation is one of the main concerns that need to be addressed for full-scale applications of the microbial fuel cell technology. Fouling and biofilm growth on the cathode of single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFC) affects their performance in long-term operation with wastewater. In this study, the authors report the power output and cathode polarization curves of a membraneless SCMFC, fed with raw primary wastewater and sodium acetate for over 6 months. At the end of the experiment, the whole cathode surface is analyzed through X-ray microcomputed tomography (microCT), scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to characterize the fouling layer and the biofilm. EDX shows the distribution of Ca, Na, K, P, S, and other elements on the two faces of the cathode. Na-carbonates and Ca-carbonates are predominant on the air (outer) side and the water (inner) side, respectively. The three-dimensional reconstruction by X-ray microCT shows biofilm spots unevenly distributed above the Ca-carbonate layer on the inner (water) side of the cathode. These results indicate that carbonates layer, rather than biofilm, might lower the oxygen reduction reaction rate at the cathode during long-term SCMFC operation.

X-ray computed microtomography for drop shape analysis and contact angle measurement

The interaction between an atomized fluid and a solid surface has a great importance in many fields, both in adiabatic conditions and when heat transfer is involved. To investigate the behavior of many drops in contact with a surface, the first step is to study a single one of them and in that, surface wettability is key parameter. Wettability analyses are usually performed by contact angle measurement, in most cases using the sessile drop or captive bubble techniques. Such techniques require optical acquisition of a side view of the drop or bubble, with a series of drawbacks when conventional optics are used, in particular for not uniform, not planar or rough base surfaces. X-ray micro-computed tomography is therefore used to acquire a 3D scan of a drop gently deposited on a surface, with the aim to reconstruct the drop surface and to perform contact angle measurements on true cross-sections of the drop-surface couple. Comparison with contact angle measurements performed on conventional images is performed. The results evidence that the proposed technique is very promising for surface characterization and to get more accurate and detailed information about wettability characteristics.

A novel technique for investigation of complete and partial anisotropic wetting on structured surface by X-ray microtomography

An experimental study about the anisotropic wetting behavior of a surface patterned with parallel grooves is presented as an application example of a novel technique for investigation of complete and partial anisotropic wetting on structured surface by X-ray microtomography. Shape of glycerin droplets on such surface is investigated by X-ray micro computed tomography (microCT) acting as a non-intrusive, full volume 3D microscope with micrometric spatial resolution. The reconstructed drop volumes enable to estimate the exact volumes of the drops, their base contours, and 3D static contact angles, based on true cross-sections of the drop-surface couple. Droplet base contours are compared to approximate geometrical contour shapes proposed in the literature. Contact angles along slices parallel and perpendicular to the grooves direction are compared with each other. The effect of the sessile drop volume on the wetting behavior is discussed. The proposed technique, which is applicable for any structured surface, enables the direct measure of Wenzel ratio based on the microCT scan in the wetted region usually inapproachable by any others. Comparisons with simplified models are presented and congruence of results with respect to the minimum resolution needed is evaluated and commented.

Micro computed tomography and CFD simulation of drop deposition on gas diffusion layers

Fuel cells are electrochemical power generation system which may achieve high energy efficiencies with environmentally friendly emissions. Among the different types, Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) seem at present one of the most promising choices. A very important component of a PEMFC is the gas diffusion layer (GDL), which has the primary role of managing water in the cell, allowing reactant gases transport to the catalyst layer while keeping the membrane correctly hydrated and preventing electrode flooding. Therefore, GDLs have to be porous and very hydrophobic. Carbon clothes or carbon papers coated with a hydrophobizing agent – typically a fluoropolymer – are used. Given the complex chemistry and morphology of the GDLs, wettability analyses on them present some critical issues when using the conventional contact angle measurement techniques. In this paper, the deposition of a drop on a GDL (produced using polytetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoroalcoxy vinyl ether as the fluorinated polymer) was investigated by means of micro computed tomography (microCT) and numerical simulation. The microCT facility operational at the University of Bergamo was used to acquire a 3D tomography of a water drop deposed on a sample GDL. The reconstructed drop dataset allows thorough understanding of the real drop shape, of its contact area and contact line. The GDL dataset was used to create a realistic mesh for the numerical simulation of the drop deposition, which was performed using the OpenFOAM® interFOAM solver.

Characterization of highly hydrophobic textiles by means of X-ray microtomography, wettability analysis and drop impact

Highly hydrophobic surfaces have been intensively investigated in the last years because their properties may lead to very promising technological spillovers encompassing both everyday use and high-tech fields. Focusing on textiles, hydrophobic fabrics are of major interest for applications ranging from clothes to architecture to environment protection and energy conversion. Gas diffusion media - made by a gas diffusion layer (GDL) and a microporous layer (MPL) - for fuel cells are a good benchmark to develop techniques aimed at characterizing the wetting performances of engineered textiles. An experimental investigation was carried out about carbon-based, PTFE-treated GDLs with and without MPLs. Two samples (woven and woven-non-woven) were analysed before and after coating with a MPL. Their three-dimensional structure was reconstructed and analysed by computer-aided X-ray microtomography (CT). Static and dynamic wettability analyses were then carried out using a modified axisymmetric drop shape analysis technique. All the surfaces exhibited very high hydrophobicity, three of them near to a super-hydrophobic behavior. Water drop impacts were performed, evidencing different bouncing, sticking and fragmentation outcomes for which critical values of the Weber number were identified. Finally, a CT scan of a drop on a GDL was performed, confirming the Cassie-Baxter wetting state on such surface.