abstract
- Hydrogen production from glucose is a pivotal element in the global transition toward carbon-neutral bioenergy systems. In this work, the role of Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 and Escherichia coli MG1655 as a microbial chassis for metabolizing glucose at the anode, utilizing Ni(OH)2/NF electrocatalysts, is studied. When E. coli was used to metabolize glucose, the catalyst required a cathodic potential of ¿2.36¿V in an H-cell and ¿1.73¿V in a single-cell to reach a current density of 100 A/m2. In contrast, for Zymomonas mobilis ZM4, the corresponding potentials were ¿2.51¿V and ¿2.19¿V, under H-cell and single-cell, respectively. The experiments revealed the ability of the catalyst to deliver electrochemical activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction, unveiling the scope of microbial electrolysis for converting glucose to energy for climate action in a sustainable process.