Research Projects

Access to clean water and the production of sustainable energy have become more pressing issues as a result of the world's population growth and fast urbanisation. Fossil fuels, which are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, are used extensively in the production of energy today. At the same time, nearly half of the world's population suffers from water scarcity, and billions lack access to safe drinking water. The energy-intensive nature of conventional water treatment techniques emphasises the pressing need for comprehensive, sustainable solutions.  Through utilising microbial metabolism and electrochemical processes, osmotic microbial fuel cell (OMFC) technology presents a novel way to treat wastewater and produce electricity at the same time. Supercapacitors (SCs) and OMFC can be combined to improve energy storage and harvesting. However, scalability, accuracy, and environmental compatibility are restricted by current fabrication techniques.  This proposal investigates the creation of a biodegradable, 3D-printed OMFC-SC system intended to simultaneously harvest and stabilise energy and treat water. Complex geometries can be quickly and easily fabricated using additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, which reduces material waste and makes it possible to use environmentally friendly, biodegradable materials. Although this technology has already transformed the biomedical and aerospace industries, little is known about how it can be used in energy-water systems.  Employing 3D-printed biodegradable materials, the proposed study will create and optimise a stacked OMFC design and combine it with supercapacitors for enhanced energy storage. We'll look at important performance metrics like power density, water recovery rate, biocompatibility, and system longevity. The end result will be a prototype device that recovers and stores energy from wastewater while efficiently delivering clean water.  Through the integration of electrochemistry, microbiology, and additive manufacturing, this multidisciplinary project supports global objectives for access to clean energy and water. It is a scalable, affordable, and sustainable solution that can help off-grid and water-stressed communities all over the world.