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PEOPLE@HES-SO – Annuaire et Répertoire des compétences
PEOPLE@HES-SO – Annuaire et Répertoire des compétences

PEOPLE@HES-SO
Annuaire et Répertoire des compétences

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Fischer Fabian

Fischer Fabian

Professeur-e HES Ordinaire

Compétences principales

Chimie organique physique

Energies renouvelables

Biocatalysis and Biosynthesis

Microbiologie

Traitement des eaux

Hydrogène

Electrochemistry

  • Contact

  • Recherche

  • Publications

  • Conférences

Contrat principal

Professeur-e HES Ordinaire

Téléphone: +41 58 606 86 58

Bureau: ENP.19.N504

HES-SO Valais-Wallis - Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie
Rue de l'Industrie 23, 1950 Sion, CH
HEI - VS
Domaine
Chimie et sciences de la vie
Filière principale
Ingénierie des Sciences du vivant
Institut
Institut Energie et environnement
Institut Sciences du vivant

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabian-fischer-2560a2203/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gxOdEfEAAAAJ&hl=de

Aucune donnée à afficher pour cette section

Terminés

Wasserstoff, Bioethanol und Elektrizitäts-Produktion mit einer bioelektrischen Zelle
AGP

Rôle: Requérant(e) principal(e)

Financement: VS - Institut Technologies du vivant; ERZ Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich; Bundesamt für Energie; VS - Institut Technologies du vivant

Description du projet : Die Co-produktion von Wasserstoff, Bioethanol und Elektrizität wird mit Hilfe einer mikrobiellen Elektrolysezelle bearbeitet. Die Untersuchung soll insbesondere zeigen inwiefern die Bioethanol- und Wasserstoffproduktion sich wirtschaftlich ergänzen. Daneben wird auch der wichtige Vergleich mit der Stromproduktion im mikrobiellen Brennstoffzellenmodus untersucht.

Equipe de recherche au sein de la HES-SO: Cachelin Christian Pierre , Fischer Fabian , Mabillard Eric

Partenaires professionnels: BFH-TI; CEKAtec AG

Durée du projet: 01.03.2013 - 31.12.2015

Montant global du projet: 157'025 CHF

Statut: Terminé

Biofuel Cell Power Supply for Portable and Stationary Applications
AGP

Rôle: Requérant(e) principal(e)

Financement: HES-SO Rectorat

Description du projet : Electric power is produced by a stacked microbial fuel cell from biomass. The generated electricity is transformed with minimal loss by a transformer developed for this purpose. The resulting bio-power supply is tested for electricity production. It will be implemented as microbial fuel cell for waste water treatment. With this processing technology energy cost is estimated to be cut in half. Moreover used water plants become net balance energy producer.

Equipe de recherche au sein de la HES-SO: Steiner Amandus , Fischer Fabian , Bastian Christèle , Chappuis Thierry , Hautier Serge , Mabillard Eric , Silvestri Anne-Claire

Partenaires académiques: 425 - Oenologie; VS - Institut Technologies du vivant; FR - EIA - ICHIMIE - Chimie industrielle et appliquée; Fischer Fabian, VS - Institut Technologies du vivant

Durée du projet: 01.09.2010 - 29.02.2012

Montant global du projet: 139'000 CHF

Statut: Terminé

2025

Cuprous oxide-shewanella mediated photolytic hydrogen evolution
Article scientifique ArODES

Michele Morgante, Nick Vlachopoulos, Linfeng Pan, Meng Xia, Christos Comninellis, Kevin Sivula, Michael Graetzel, Fabian Fischer

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy,  2025, 101, 731-740

Lien vers la publication

Résumé:

Hydrogen could be an environmentally friendly option as an energy vector for the future. However, its green production process is expensive, involving water electrolysis, which requires a significant amount of energy. New technologies have been developed to decrease the cost associated with water electrolysis, such as using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). The integration of power performance enhancing elements into bioelectric systems is of applied interest. As in this work the integration of a photocathode into the microbial electrolysis cell, the energy output increases in theory without needing more reactor space. The microbial electrolysis process requires an additional energy input to overcome the theoretical thermodynamic barrier if any and the involved overpotentials for reasonable rate of hydrogen production. In this work, a microbial electrolysis half-cell was combined with a photoelectrochemical half-cell, so called MPEC (microbial photoelectrochemical cell). The MPEC consisted of a Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 bioanode and a five-layered p-type Cu2O-based photocathode, using lactate as electron donor to produce H2 without any external bias than light of 210 and 700 W m−2. The novelty of the work can be summarized in the following points: The use of MPEC for H2 production with a stable and efficient multilayer Cu2O photocathode. The quantification of the anodic, cathodic and global coulombic efficiencies considering the selectivity of lactate to acetate conversion. The electrochemical characterization (I–V curves) of the bioanode and photocathode for the determination of the electrode which limit the current in the process. Proposition of a model to explain the low anodic coulombic efficiencies (7 ± 2%). In this model lactate may be involved in either a surface reaction at the bioanode (the main reaction producing current) or a bulk aerobic or anaerobic reaction catalysed by planktonic cells (a side reaction that consumes lactate without producing current). This work is of interest of research that aims to integrate multiple processes into bioelectric systems and to use light energy in a direct manner to generate energy vectors such as hydrogen.

Computerized voltage reversal prevention in second and third year 1000-liter microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Sunny Maye, Louis Delabays, Jules Sansonnens, Maxime Blatter, Gérald Huguenin, Fabian Fischer

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,  2025, 208, 115017

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Résumé:

Large-scale microbial fuel cells treat wastewater while generating electricity, saving electricity and preventing air pollution. Long term use is difficult and hardly realized what is done in this work for more than three years. To prolong the time of service significantly a novel electronic control device was developed. It blocked the notorious and growing voltage reversals over time and balanced the 1000 L microbial fuel cell. It prevented voltage reversals in 64 units in a serial/parallel microbial fuel cell stack setup. This electronic voltage regulator worked in conjunction with maximum power point tracking. Both electronic tools individually optimized 16 microbial fuel cell units simultaneously to achieve stack balance and heal defiant units. To understand the applicability of this computational voltage reversal prevention controller, blocking experiments were performed with variable thresholds set at: +50, +25, 0, −25, −50 mV. The two best blocking thresholds were 50 mV and zero volts. The electronic balancing tool even revived the end-of-life 1000-L microbial fuel cell stack by resolving voltage reversals in the third year of constant operation. The voltage reversal blocker allowed to generate 1.7 to 2.7 times more power than without electronic control. The voltage balancing technique developed is expected to be useful for larger multi-unit microbial fuel cell stacks.

2023

Scaling up microbial fuel cells to clean wastewater and produce electricity
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer

Research Features,

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LED algal microbial fuel cell stack balancing conception: Electronic voltage reversal blockage, light feed-starvation cycling, and aeration
Article scientifique

Catherine Doan, Jules Sansonnens, Morgante Michele, Cyrille Savy, Martinet David, Gérald Huguenin, Sunny Maye, Maria Vittoria Salvo, Fischer Fabian

Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 2023 , vol.  60

Résumé:

Stacked algae microbial fuel cells (AMFC) combine the strategic use of light and microbial energy to generate
usable electricity. It generates oxygen directly at the electrodes, providing CO2 cycling, algal biomass, and valueadded
biomolecules. In this work a 12 Liter LED-Algae-Microbial-Fuel-Cell-Stack with maximum power tracking
was investigated for voltage balancing and reversal resolution, enabling up to 1200 mV stable stack voltage
under closed circuit conditions. The experiment was run in a municipal wastewater treatment plant for 152 days.
A new type of data control computer device was used to block voltage reversals and maintaining power with unit
resistances between 42 and 99 Ohm. It also allowed the detection of previously unreported light starvation effects
in 16 process variants with voltage drops ranging from 14 to 240 mV switching off lights. Algae generated
an oxygen concentration of 1.9–3.7 mg/L during power generation. Extending all light-on conditions significantly
reduced the voltage reversal frequency. All light-on in combination with assisted oxygenation using 0.25
L/min air bubbling per unit resolved voltage reversals and balanced the AMFC-Stack.
The results obtained are relevant to the study of stacked bioelectric systems that use low substrate concentrations
and yet aim to generate stable power and minimize voltage reversals.

2022

Microbial community diversity changes during voltage reversal repair in a 12-unit microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Nancy Merino, Marc Sugnaux, Gérald Huguenin, Kenneth H. Nealson

Chemical Engineering Journal,  2022, vol. 446, pt. 4, article no. 137334

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Résumé:

Microbial fuel cell stacks (MFC-Stack) are often confronted with voltage reversals, likely due to an interplay between microbial community dynamics and insufficient electric circuit balancing. Herein, we provide new insight into voltage reversals by examining the microbiomes of twelve MFC units of a 12-liter Pilot-MFC-Stack during repair. Different biofilm repair methods (self-healing, electrostimulation, and re-acclimatization upon cross-inoculation) were used to evaluate the microbial community response. In addition, MFC-Stack simulation was performed based on Kirchhoff’s Second Law to predict values for source potentials and post-evaluate internal resistances. Analysis of the 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data suggests that the biofilm repair methods could slowly heal damaged biofilms. Notably, severely voltage reversed MFC units had low electrogen relative abundances (18%) and positive anode potentials, while strong bioanodes and contained more than 50% electrogens and had negative anode potentials. Between-community analyses (beta diversity ordination and multinomial regression) of the voltage reversed MFC units revealed differences among biofilms in contrast to healthy/strong MFC units. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) confirmed that reversed biofilms were, indeed, significantly (p < 0.05) different from stronger ones. Overall, these analyses demonstrated the utility of combining electrotechnical and microbial community analyses, especially beta diversity ordination and multinomial regression, to understand problematic MFC units and the potential success of a biofilm repair method. Finally, thicker biofilms were usually healthier and stronger, although thickness was no guarantee for proper structure and power function as all factors were interdependent. There was an evolutionary trend that strong anodes became stronger/healthier and others weaker. This spontaneous trend has to be considered to avoid irreversible voltage reversals and to repair electrogenic biofilms in an MFC-Stack.

Microbial community diversity changes during voltage reversal repair in a 12-unit microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique

Fischer Fabian,

Chemical Engineering Journal, 2022

Résumé:

incomplet record, sorry

2021

Solving phosphate scarcity with wastewater refining
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer

Research features,  2021, no. 137, pp. 70-73

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Résumé:

Satisfying the intense consumption habits of modern society requires an unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and generates large amounts of waste. The linear consumption process of extraction, use, and disposal is causing drastic environmental imbalances. One way of tackling this challenge is to adopt a circular economy, in which waste is transformed into renewable resources. Professor Fabian Fischer and his team at the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, have developed a three-step wastewater refining process that recovers phosphate fertiliser and other materials from sewage sludge with great efficiency, providing an excellent example of a circular economy approach.

Microbial bioelectrochemical cells for hydrogen generation based on irradiated semiconductor photoelectrodes
Article scientifique ArODES

Michele Morgante, Nicks Vlachopoulos, Anders Hagfeldt, Fabian Fischer

Journal of Physics: Energy,  2021, vol. 3, no. 3, article no. 032012

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Résumé:

In recent years, one of the most important challenges of the 21st century is to satisfy the ever-increasing world's energy demand. Many efforts are being undertaken to find alternative renewable energy sources, which ideally should outcompete fossil fuel use in all its aspects. In this respect, photo-assisted microbial bioelectrochemical cells (MBECs) in which the reduction of water to hydrogen takes place have been of considerable interest in recent years. Two categories of such systems have been investigated: MBECs with a semiconductor photocathode or photoanode, and hybrid systems, in which an MBEC cell with dark electrodes is coupled to an electrochemical photovoltaic cell. A common denominator of all these systems is the need of microorganisms at the anode, the action of which results in the generation of an electron flow by organic matter oxidation. The aim of this review is to describe the general working principles, with respect to both biochemical and electrochemical aspects, and the performance of various categories of hydrogen-generating photo-assisted MBECs.

Stretched 1000-L microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Maxime Blatter, Louis Delabays, Clément Furrer, Gérald Huguenin, Christian Pierre Cachelin, Fabian Fischer

Journal of Power Sources,  2021, vol. 483, article no. 229130

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Résumé:

The construction of large microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and their long-term reliability are current challenges. MFCs generate power while purifying wastewater, save electricity, avoid pollutant stripping into the air and are a source of CO2. To understand larger MFCs, a 1000-L MFC was designed. It was built from transparent polyester and electrodes were from reticulated vitreous carbon. Four power management devices were connected to an ensemble of 64 MFC units and assembled as a 12 m long MFC. Two Raspberry and a personal computer with Python programmed software automatized power management. The MFC was run for one year under maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Temperatures between 11.5 °C and 21 °C corresponded to WWTP conditions. The reactor shared electrolytes within 12 m long half-cells and 80–95% COD was removed generating 0.015 to 0.060 kWh/m3 with an energy efficiency of 5.8–12.1%. Voltage reversal were seen as potential imbalances among MFC units and all self-healing. Ammonium removal reached 48%, phosphorous was reduced to 0.59 mg/L, and micropollutants degraded by 67%. Biofilm mapping by 16S rRNA metagenomics indicated bi-sectorial metabolic properties. 10 Major genera were essential in the elongated scale up MFC generating electricity, reduced energy needed, and purified wastewater.

streched 1000-L microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique

Fischer Fabian

Journal of Power Sources, 2021

2020

Phosphorus, chemical base and other renewables from wastewater with three 168-L microbial electrolysis cells and other unit operations
Article scientifique ArODES

Maxime Blatter, Clément Furrer, Christian Pierre Cachelin, Fabian Fischer

Chemical Engineering Journal,  2020, vol. 390, article no.124502

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Résumé:

Phosphate rock is a depleting resource and wastewater a sustainable long-term alternative for phosphorous mining. In modern wastewater treatment phosphate is concentrated 7500 times from wastewater into sludge as iron phosphate (FeP). Recently developed bioelectrochemical reactors enabled phosphate recovery from sewage sludge containing FeP. The integrated bioelectric process was found of much broader utility than initially elaborated. It refines all principle components of wastewater. The implementation is confronted to a number of challenges. Three pilot microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) of 168 L each were constructed and installed in different municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The scale-up MECs generated renewable chemical base and co-extracted abundant species such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH4+ from wastewater. The chemical base remobilized phosphate quantitatively from iron phosphates contained in digested sewage sludge. Phosphate extracts contained ammonia and upon magnesium (Mg2+) addition struvite crystalized. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) on heavy metals, Direct Mercury Analysis (DMA), Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) on organic micropollutants, metagenomics sequencing, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDS), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) indicated that a highly pure struvite-fertilizer was produced. Microbial electricity co-generation was verified by electrochemical characterisation and microbiome analysis using 16S rRNA V4-V5 methodology. Geobacter, Dechloromonas, Desulfobulbus and cyanobacteria were the principal electrogens found. All in all, renewable chemical base as well as phosphate were obtained in high quantities and other renewables became accessible such as the critical material magnesium and other compounds of importance like ammonia, potassium, calcium, solid P-free sludge useful as biofuel and purified water. In general, the process recycles important compounds from waste, in a close to traceless manner while purifying wastewater.

2019

Mechanisms and model process parameters in bioelectrochemical wet phosphate recovery from iron phosphate sewage sludge
Article scientifique ArODES

Maxime Blatter, Marion Vermeille, Clément Furrer, Géraldine Pouget, Fabian Fischer

ACS Sustainable Chemistry Engineering,  2019, no. 7, pp. 5856-5866

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Résumé:

Phosphate recovery from sewage sludge is possible with a bioelectrochemical system (BES) also referred to as microbial fuel/electrolysis cell (MFC, MEC). The investigated process is based on phosphate removal with iron salts, which is extensively used in wastewater treatment. The mechanisms and reaction parameters of the bioelectrochemical phosphate recovery process was examined by modeling and model reactions for future scale up works. The mechanistic analyses concerned the electron reduction process, the role of the pH as well as the observed metal removal capacity. Iron oxidation state analyses showed that the iron reduction mechanism was of negligible importance under microbial electrolysis cell conditions. The cathodic iron reduction was outperformed by fast iron precipitation and phosphate remobilization process depended largely on chemical base (OH–). Fluid particle kinetics and shrinking core modeling determined the relevancy of the reaction parameters in order to accelerate phosphate remobilisation. Rate enhancements were possible at higher pH, increased temperature and faster stirring. With the elucidated mechanisms and reaction kinetics parameters, the scale-up of bioelectrochemical system based phosphate recovery was given a foundation for scale-up works.

2018

Microbial fuel cell stack power to lithium battery stack :
Article scientifique ArODES
pilot concept forscale up

Fabian Fischer, Marc Sugnaux, Cyrille Savy, Gérald Huguenin

Applied Energy,  2018, 230, pp. 1633-1644

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Résumé:

A stack to stack microbial fuel cell power to batteries storage was investigated on the pilot scale with the aim to scale up in future. A 12 unit MFC-stack, equipped with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and lithium polymer batteries (3.7 V), was set up. The MFC-stack architecture was simplified by sharing partially electrolytes. The serial 12 unit MFC-stack was first used as a linear assembly of all MFC units and then subdivided into three MFC-sub-stacks which enhanced power extraction by 8.5 times. To balance the stack power generation, the external circuits were alternated into zigzag, braid and random figurations as well in rational directed configurations. Finally, batteries permutation along with MPPT enabled faster and balanced lithium battery stack charging. Balanced conditions resulted in time shift oscillations, the absence of unwanted power pooling and voltage reversals. All in all, the work showed how to generate and store power from an 12 L microbial fuel cell stack with partly common electrolytes.

Photoelectrode, photovoltaic and photosynthetic microbial fuel cells
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,  2018, vol. 90, pp. 16-27

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Résumé:

This review examines the combination of photoelectric cells (PEC) and microbial fuel cells (MFC), including photosynthetic MFCs. It was found in a number of investigations that photoanodes and photocathodes can be well combined with electrogenic and photo-electrogenic microbes. The progress in this field originates from the idea that MFCs using light to power converting electrodes generate more power than with the dark reaction in an MFC alone or by solar power in a PEC. There are a multitude of possible designs for establishing Photo-MFCs. It is noteworthy that in addition to electric power, also hydrogen, methane and other solar-bioelectrofuels are producible using hybrid MFC-PEC type reactors, which are assembled from artificial and native photosensitive electrodes and electrogenic microbes.

Mikrobielle Brennstoffzelle :
Article scientifique ArODES
durch Abwasserreinigung Strom erzeugen und auch einsparen

Fabian Fischer

Aqua Gas,  2018, no. 1, pp. 36-39

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Résumé:

On peut produire de l’électricité avec des microbes dans une pile à combustible microbienne. Cette idée a été développée par le professeur Micheal Cresse Potter en 1912 en Angleterre. Mais ses travaux sont tombés dans l’oubli pendant longtemps, et ce n’est que depuis peu qu’un nombre croissant de chercheurs s’occupent de ce sujet de façon plus approfondie. Il est en effet envisageable que, dans le futur, l’on parviendra à épurer les eaux usées sans coût en produisant de l’électricité en excès. Pour ce processus, on utilise les microbes électrogène qui se trouvent dans l’eau usée. Le potentiel de cette technologie est démontré clairement sur un plan théorique. Sa réalisation est envisagée dans le futur. Actuellement, la HES-SO Valais et ses partenaires sont aux essais pilotes.

2017

Simulation and resolution of voltage reversal in microbial fuel cell stack
Article scientifique ArODES

Marc Sugnaux, Cyrille Savy, Christian Pierre Cachelin, Gérald Huguenin, Fabian Fischer

Bioresource Technology,  2017, vol. 238, pp. 519-527

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Résumé:

To understand the biotic and non-biotic contributions of voltage reversals in microbial fuel cell stacks (MFC) they were simulated with an electronic MFC-Stack mimic. The simulation was then compared with results from a real 3 L triple MFC-Stack with shared anolyte. It showed that voltage reversals originate from the variability of biofilms, but also the external load plays a role. When similar biofilm properties were created on all anodes the likelihood of voltage reversals was largely reduced. Homogenous biofilms on all anodes were created by electrical circuit alternation and electrostimulation. Conversely, anolyte recirculation, or increased nutriment supply, postponed reversals and unfavourable voltage asymmetries on anodes persisted. In conclusion, voltage reversals are often a negative event but occur also in close to best MFC-Stack performance. They were manageable and this with a simplified MFC architecture in which multiple anodes share the same anolyte.

Heterotrophic and mixotrophic microalgae cultivation
Chapitre de livre ArODES

S. Velea, F. Oancea, Fabian Fischer

Dans Gonzalez-Fernandez, Cristina, Muñoz, Raúl, Microalgae-based biofuels and bioproducts  (pp. 45-65). 2017,  Amsterdam : Elsevier Ltd.

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Résumé:

This chapter discusses the cultivation of microalgae under heterotrophic and mixotrophic conditions in terms of market pull (societal challenge and demand readiness level) and technology push (technology readiness level). Heterotrophic cultivation, possible on microalgae strains presenting the needed metabolic pathways, benefits from the already developed microbial biosynthesis technological subsystems—bioreactors/fermenters, downstream processing equipment, (bio)sensors, and automated control. Large-scale production of high value-added ingredients (e.g., phycobilins or carotenoids like astaxanthin) is technologically possible and responds to an increasing demand for bioactives. Mixotrophic cultivation has the advantages of reduced operation cost and higher yield. Such a cultivation technique, which enables transformation of waste with solar power into algae mass, is therefore a key enabling technology for a circular bioeconomy. Mixotrophically grown microalgae sequestrate CO2 while simultaneously synthesizing value-added products. In summary, this chapter reviews the present evolution of heterotrophic and mixotrophic cultivation technologies of microalgae and identifies several research and innovation needs for better harnessing the microalgae's potential.

Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS2 thin films
Article scientifique ArODES

Reinhardt Kaindl, Bernhard C. Bayer, Roland Resel, Thomas Müller, Viera Skakalova, Gerlinde Habler, Rainer Abart, Alexey S. Cherevan, Dominik Eder, Maxime Blatter, Fabian Fischer, Jannik C. Meyer, Dmitri K. Polyushkin, Wolfgang Waldhauser

Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology,  2017, no. 8, pp. 1115-1126

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Résumé:

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) thin films have received increasing interest as device-active layers in low-dimensional electronics and also as novel catalysts in electrochemical processes such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrochemical water splitting. For both types of applications, industrially scalable fabrication methods with good control over the MoS2 film properties are crucial. Here, we investigate scalable physical vapour deposition (PVD) of MoS2 films by magnetron sputtering. MoS2 films with thicknesses from ≈10 to ≈1000 nm were deposited on SiO2/Si and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrates. Samples deposited at room temperature (RT) and at 400 °C were compared. The deposited MoS2 was characterized by macro- and microscopic X-ray, electron beam and light scattering, scanning and spectroscopic methods as well as electrical device characterization. We find that room-temperature-deposited MoS2 films are amorphous, of smooth surface morphology and easily degraded upon moderate laser-induced annealing in ambient conditions. In contrast, films deposited at 400 °C are nano-crystalline, show a nano-grained surface morphology and are comparatively stable against laser-induced degradation. Interestingly, results from electrical transport measurements indicate an unexpected metallic-like conduction character of the studied PVD MoS2 films, independent of deposition temperature. Possible reasons for these unusual electrical properties of our PVD MoS2 thin films are discussed. A potential application for such conductive nanostructured MoS2 films could be as catalytically active electrodes in (photo-)electrocatalysis and initial electrochemical measurements suggest directions for future work on our PVD MoS2 films.

Cathode deposits favor methane generation in microbial electrolysis cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Marc Sugnaux, Manuel Happe, Christian Pierre Cachelin, Andrea Gasperini, Maxime Blatter, Fabian Fischer

Chemical Engineering Journal,  2017, vol. 324, pp. 228-236

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Résumé:

Cathodes in microbial electrolysis cells are exposed to poisoning in particular when using activated sludge as substrate. In this work, it was examined how well hydrogen generation is possible and what kind of membrane protection is sufficient to produce hydrogen from activated sludge. Also model microbial electrolysis was performed to simulate hydrogen evolution in a mimic biological environment at pH = 7. With activated sludge, it was found that electrodeposition of calcium, iron and phosphor and other impurities inhibited the hydrogen evolution reaction. Applying 2.0 V, the biogas productivity increased notably as if it induced rather chemical hydrolysis than hydrogenation and favored methanisation. This MEC generated methane in up to highest purity, 67–97%. In addition, this room-temperature methanisation consumed far less energy than with comparable mesophile conditions.

2016

Biodiesel via in situ wet microalgae biotransformation :
Article scientifique ArODES
zwitter-type ionic liquid supported extraction and transesterification

Gerald Bauer, Serena Lima, Jean Chenevard, Marc Sugnaux, Fabian Fischer

ACS Sustainable Chemistry Engineering,  2017, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 1931-1937

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Résumé:

The production of biodiesel derived from microalgae is among the most forthcoming technologies that provide an ecologic alternative to fossil fuels. Herein, a method was developed that enables the direct extraction and conversion of algal oil to biodiesel without prior isolation. The reaction occurs in aqueous media catalyzed by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozyme 435). Zwitter-type ionic liquids were used as cocatalyst to improve the selectivity and reactivity of the enzyme. In a model reaction with sunflower oil, 64% biodiesel was obtained. Applying this method to a slurry of whole-cell Chlorella zofingiensis in water resulted in 74.8% of lipid extraction, with 27.7% biotransformation products and up to 16% biodiesel. Factors that reduced the lipase activity with whole-cell algae were subsequently probed and discussed. This “in situ” method shows an improvement to existing methods, since it integrates the oil extraction and conversion into an one-pot procedure in aqueous conditions. The extraction is nondisruptive, and is a model for a greener algae to biodiesel process.

Two stage bioethanol refining with multi litre stacked microbial fuel cell and microbial electrolysis cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Marc Sugnaux, Manuel Happe, Christian Pierre Cachelin, Olivier Gloriod, Gérald Huguenin, Maxime Blatter, Fabian Fischer

Bioresource Technology,  2016, vol. 221, pp. 61-69

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Résumé:

Ethanol, electricity, hydrogen and methane were produced in a two stage bioethanol refinery setup based on a 10 L microbial fuel cell (MFC) and a 33 L microbial electrolysis cell (MEC). The MFC was a triple stack for ethanol and electricity co-generation. The stack configuration produced more ethanol with faster glucose consumption the higher the stack potential. Under electrolytic conditions ethanol productivity outperformed standard conditions and reached 96.3% of the theoretically best case. At lower external loads currents and working potentials oscillated in a self-synchronized manner over all three MFC units in the stack. In the second refining stage, fermentation waste was converted into methane, using the scale up MEC stack. The bioelectric methanisation reached 91% efficiency at room temperature with an applied voltage of 1.5 V using nickel cathodes. The two stage bioethanol refining process employing bioelectrochemical reactors produces more energy vectors than is possible with today’s ethanol distilleries.

Biofilm vivacity and destruction on antimicrobial nanosurfaces assayed within a microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Marc Sugnaux, Fabian Fischer

Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine,  2016, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 1471-1477

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Résumé:

A novel method was developed to assay the antimicrobial capacity of nanostructured surfaces for medical implants in a bicathodic microbial fuel cell. Nano-structured gold surfaces with protruding nanopillars and nanorings were investigated. Escherichia coli K12 were used as a model microbe to record electronic effects caused by the interaction with nanosurfaces. The nanostructured gold surfaces enabled power density maxima up to 1910 mW/m2, indicating fair vivacity, while flat surfaces on the nanoscale provided almost no power 0.35 mW/m2. The biofilm presence on antimicrobial nanosurfaces was confirmed by the addition of ampicillin and its bactericidal effect resulted in oscillating and declining potentiometric signals. Current density experiments showed that biofilms on antimicrobial nanostructured electrodes caused low currents, indicating that E.coli biofilm remained functional before destruction. The bicathodic microbial fuel cell sensor is a novel tool for evaluating antimicrobial effects caused by nanosurfaces and antibiotics.

Enzymatic biocatalysis in chemical transformations :
Chapitre de livre ArODES
a promising and emerging field in green chemistry practice

Jenny M. Blamey, Fabian Fischer, Hans-Peter Meyer, Felipe Sarmiento, Manfred Zinn

Dans Brahmachari, Goutam, Biotechnology of microbial enzymes  (pp. 347-403). 2016,  Amsterdam : Elsevier

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Résumé:

The production of ever more complex fine chemicals for life sciences (health care, agrochemicals, nutraceuticals) requires selective synthetic biotechnological tools, which complement purely organic chemical synthesis with a rewarding economic and ecological impact. Biotechnology has become an important contributor to the gross domestic product in many countries, and this contribution translates also into enzyme applications for different markets and products, novel biotech companies, and international research programs and consortia. The present chapter deals with the different aspects of enzyme biocatalysis for chemical transformations, starting with the prospection and identification of novel microbial enzymes, which are becoming indispensable for current industrial processes. The benefits of extremophilic bioprospection and protein engineering along with the preponderant role of nature itself as the best source for finding truly novel enzymes with potential industrial applicability are discussed. Also, the different production processes, using immobilized and free biocatalysts for fine and bulk chemical production, are analyzed. Finally, new reactions and developments in enzymatic catalysis will be presented as well as green chemistry aspects as an inherent feature of industrial biotransformation, where novel technologies for cofactor regeneration and solvents for biotransformations are featured as “green” solutions.

Modeling of sustainable base production by microbial electrolysis cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Maxime Blatter, Marc Sugnaux, Christos Comninellis, Kenneth Nealson, Fabian Fischer

ChemSusChem,  2016, vol. 9, pp. 1570-1574

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Résumé:

A predictive model for the microbial/electrochemical base formation from wastewater was established and compared to experimental conditions within a microbial electrolysis cell. A Na2SO4/K2SO4 anolyte showed that model prediction matched experimental results. Using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a strong base (pH≈13) was generated using applied voltages between 0.3 and 1.1 V. Due to the use of bicarbonate, the pH value in the anolyte remained unchanged, which is required to maintain microbial activity.

Scale-up of phosphate remobilization from sewage sludge in a microbial fuel cell
Article scientifique ArODES

Manuel Happe, Marc Sugnaux, Christian Pierre Cachelin, Marc Stauffer, Géraldine Zufferey, Thomas Kahoun, Paul-André Salamin, Thomas Egli, Christos Comninellis, Alain-François Grogg, Fabian Fischer

Bioresource Technology,  2016, vol. 200, pp. 435-443

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Résumé:

Phosphate remobilization from digested sewage sludge containing iron phosphate was scaled-up in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). A 3 litre triple chambered MFC was constructed. This reactor was operated as a microbial fuel cell and later as a microbial electrolysis cell to accelerate cathodic phosphate remobilization. Applying an additional voltage and exceeding native MFC power accelerated chemical base formation and the related phosphate remobilization rate. The electrolysis approach was extended using a platinum-RVC cathode. The pH rose to 12.6 and phosphate was recovered by 67% in 26 h. This was significantly faster than using microbial fuel cell conditions. Shrinking core modelling particle fluid kinetics showed that the reaction resistance has to move inside the sewage sludge particle for considerable rate enhancement. Remobilized phosphate was subsequently precipitated as struvite and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicated low levels of cadmium, lead, and other metals as required by law for recycling fertilizers.

2014

Size selectivity in lipase catalysed tetrol acylation
Article scientifique ArODES

Manuel Happe, Martial Kouadio, Christopher Treanor, Jan-Phillip Sawal, Antoine Fornage, Marc Sugnaux, Fabian Fischer

Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic,  2014, vol. 109, pp. 40-46

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Résumé:

Size selectivity of Candida antarctica lipase B (CAL-B) was examined in the acylation of pentaerythritol with oleic acid. Biolubricant mixtures consisting of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraoleates were expected in variable excess. Enzymatic tetraoleate formation was suppressed under solvent conditions; however, this size selectivity was lost without solvent and tetra-acylated pentaerythritol accumulated in up to 93%. The lipase caused size selectivity persisted over a broad temperature range from 35 to 95 °C. A Fischer–Speier esterification showed that substrate bulkiness was only a minor contributor to observed size selectivity. All in all, switch on/off size selectivity using CAL-B allowed to vary pentaerythritol biolubricant compositions in an unprecedented manner.

Microbial electrolysis cell accelerates phosphate remobilisation from iron phosphate contained in sewage sludge
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Géraldine Zufferey, Marc Sugnaux, Manuel Happe

Environmental Science: Processes Impacts,  2015, no. 1, pp. 90-97

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Résumé:

Phosphate was remobilised from iron phosphate contained in digested sewage sludge using a bio-electric cell. A significant acceleration above former results was caused by strongly basic catholytes. For these experiments a dual chambered microbial electrolysis cell with a small cathode (40 mL) and an 80 times larger anode (2.5 L) was equipped with a platinum sputtered reticulated vitreous carbon cathode. Various applied voltages (0.2–6.0 V) generated moderate to strongly basic catholytes using artificial waste water with pH close to neutral. Phosphate from iron phosphate contained in digested sewage sludge was remobilised most effectively at pH ∼13 with up to 95% yield. Beside minor electrochemical reduction, hydroxyl substitution was the dominating remobilisation mechanism. Particle–fluid kinetics using the “shrinking core” model allowed us to determine the reaction controlling step. Reaction rates changed with temperature (15–40 °C) and an activation energy of Ea = 55 kJ mol−1 was found. These analyses indicated chemical and physical reaction control, which is of interest for future scale-up work. Phosphate remobilisation rates increased significantly, yields doubled and recovered PO43− concentrations increased four times using a task specific bio-electric system. The result is a sustainable process for decentralized phosphate mining and a green chemical base generator useful also for many other sustainable processing needs.

2013

Probing electron transfer with Escherichia coli :
Article scientifique ArODES
a method to examine exoelectronics in microbial fuel cell type systems

Marc Sugnaux, Sophie Mermoud, Ana Ferreira da Costa, Manuel Happe, Fabian Fischer

Bioresource Technology,  2013, vol. 148, pp. 567-573

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Résumé:

Escherichia coli require mediators or composite anodes for substantial outward electron transfer, >8 A/m2. To what extent non-mediated direct electron transfer from the outer cell envelope to the anode occurs with E. coli is a debated issue. To this end, the redox behaviour of non-exoelectrogenic E. coli K12 was investigated using a bi-cathodic microbial fuel cell. The electromotive force caused by E. coli biofilms mounted 0.2–0.3 V above the value with the surrounding medium. Surprisingly, biofilms that started forming at different times synchronised their EMF even when physically separated. Non-mediated electron transfer from E. coli biofilms increased above background currents passing through the cultivation medium. In some instances, currents were rather high because of a sudden discharge of the medium constituents. Mediated conditions provided similar but more pronounced effects. The combined step-by-step method used allowed a systematic analysis of exoelectronics as encountered in microbial fuel cells.

Energy-related chemical research at the Universities of Applied sciences
Article professionnel ArODES

Wolfgang Riedl, Fabian Fischer, Roger Marti, Dominik Brühwiler

CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry,  2013, vol. 67, no. 7-8, pp. 611-613

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Résumé:

An overview of current activities in the field of energy-related chemical research at the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences is presented.

Enzymatic synthesis of 6- and 6'-O-linoleyl-a-D-maltose :
Article scientifique ArODES
from solvent-free to binary ionic liquid reaction media

Fabian Fischer, Manuel Happe, Jessica Emery, Antoine Fornage, Rolf Schütz

Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic,  2013, vol. 90, pp. 98-106

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Résumé:

The eco-efficient lipase catalyzed synthesis of sugar fatty acid ester surfactants from renewable commodities is a stimulating challenge in biotransformation. The biocatalytic investigations went from solvent-free and minimal ionic liquid use to bulk organic solvents, and binary solvents thereof. Disaccharide maltose was acylated with linoleic acid (C18:2) on the primary O-6,6′ hydroxyl functions. The ionic liquid [emim][MeSO3] and the potentially renewable acetone enabled best conversions. Binary solvents like acetone/DMF and [emim][MeSO3]/[bmpyr][PF6] tended to double conversions. The lipase selection is also crucial and the enzymes Pseudomonas cepacia and immobilized Candida antarctica allowed highest yields in a screening with 10 different lipases. Also other non-solvent parameters such as reaction time and molecular sieve content improved maltose transformation further up to 82%. Analysis by HPLC, ESI-MS, and NMR indicated the formation of mono-6 or 6′-O-linoleyl-α-d-maltose as a mixture of two regioisomers in a 1.4:1 ratio. From an applied point of view, the best solvent is acetone. Unlike ionic liquids and binary mixtures, it is easily removable from reaction mixtures. Moreover, acetone is to some degree a green solvent as it can be produced directly from renewable feedstock.

2012

Sustainable chemistry at the Universities of Applied Sciences
Article scientifique ArODES

Pauline Sanglard, Frank Rogano, Olivier Naef, Wolfgang Riedl, Simon Crelier, Fabian Fischer, Franziska Morganti, Christian Hinderling

CHIMIA International Journal for Chemistry,  2012, vol. 66, no. 7/8, pp. 645-648

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Résumé:

An overview of activities in the field of sustainable or 'green' chemistry at the Universities of Applied Sciences in Switzerland is presented.

Microwave barrel reactor use in trimethylolpropane oleate synthesis by Candida antarctica lipase in a biphasic non-solvent process
Article scientifique ArODES

Manuel Happe, Pascal Grand, Sébastien Farquet, Sandrine Aeby, Jean-Claude Héritier, François Corthay, Eric Mabillard, Roger Marti, Ennio Vanoli, Alain-François Grogg, Samuel Nussbaum, Alain Roduit, François Tièche, Sam Salem, Carole Constantin, Esther Schmitt, Silvan Zahno, Christoph Ellert, Ahmed Habib, Julien Wyss, Fabian Fischer

Green Chemistry,  2012, no. 8

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Résumé:

A novel microwave barrel reactor (MBR) was constructed and used in lipase catalyzed biolubricant synthesis. The MBR is thought as a versatile process tool for biotransformation and green chemistry that overcomes current size limitations in microwave reactors. A lipase mediated biotransformation in the MBR was compared to a state of the art jacketed reactor with external heat exchanger. Oleic acid and trimethylolpropane converted quantitatively (96%) into biolubricants using microwave induction. The heat dissipation in the MBR was analyzed by thermal imaging and inside thermometry. Conversion rates, rate constants and pseudo reaction orders were in line with conventional processing and no microwave effect was detected. The MBR is a versatile new reactor for non solvent, minimal and common solvent processing in the microwave field. While the subject of investigations was biolubricant synthesis in the MBR, the technology described is of wider potential interest in the field of biomass processing and sustainable chemical manufacture.

Bio-inspired chemical hydrogen storage and discharge as a source of electrical energy
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Sophie Mermoud, Gnagna Diouf, Christèle Bastian

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry,  2012, vol. 42, pp. 419-425

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Résumé:

Reversible bio-inspired chemical hydrogen storage systems accumulate electrical energy in the form of electrons and proton ions located on biomolecules or bio-like storage molecules. Electro-active biomolecules (EAB) in Yeast media show such behavior: 2e− + 2H+ + EAB+(aq) ⇆ EABH/H+(aq) also electro-active Methylene Blue (MB): 2e− + 2H+ + MB +(aq) ⇆ MBH/H +(aq). The power characteristics of microbial fuel cell stacks equipped with such bio-inspired hydrogen storage systems were examined. E. coli cultures charged these bio-inspired separate chemical hydrogen storage units up to E = 0.50 ± 0.06 V; cell potentials increased proportionally in serial double, triple, and quadruple hydrogen storage stacks up to E OCV = 1.98 V; the maximum power densities that were obtained improved proportionally with stack length by an increment of 1.4. The bio-inspired chemical hydrogen storage principle is of great interest for application in low-cost batteries that store renewable energy.

Microwave barrel reactor use in trimethylolpropane oleate synthesis by Candida antarctica lipase in a biphasic non-solvent processa
Article scientifique

Marti Roger, Aeby Sandrine, Fischer Fabian, Manuel Happe, Pascal Grand, Sébastian Farquet, Corthay François, Jean-Claude Hértier, Mabillard Eric, Alain-Francois Grogg, Samuel Nussbaum, Roduit Alain, Tièche François, Sam Salem, Carole Constantin, Esther Schmitt, Zahno Silvan, Ellert Christoph, Ahmed Habib, Julien Wyss

Green Chem., 2012 , vol.  14, pp.  2337-2345

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Résumé:

A novel microwave barrel reactor (MBR) was constructed and used in lipase catalyzed biolubricant synthesis. The MBR is thought as a versatile process tool for biotransformation and green chemistry that overcomes current size limitations in microwave reactors. A lipase mediated biotransformation in the MBR was compared to a state of the art jacketed reactor with external heat exchanger. Oleic acid and trimethylolpropane converted quantitatively (96%) into biolubricants using microwave induction. The heat dissipation in the MBR was analyzed by thermal imaging and inside thermometry. Conversion rates, rate constants and pseudo reaction orders were in line with conventional processing and no microwave effect was detected. The MBR is a versatile new reactor for non solvent, minimal and common solvent processing in the microwave field. While the subject of investigations was biolubricant synthesis in the MBR, the technology described is of wider potential interest in the field of biomass processing and sustainable chemical manufacture.

2011

Microbial fuel cell enables phosphate recovery from digested sewage sludge as struvite
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Christèle Bastian, Manuel Happe, Eric Mabillard, Nicolas Schmidt

Bioresource Technology,  2011, vol. 102, no. 10, pp. 5824-5330

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Résumé:

Orthophosphate was mobilized from iron phosphate (FePO4) contained in digested sewage sludge by microbial fuel cell power. FePO4 was reduced through electrons and protons obtained from metabolic activity of Escherichia coli. The process yielded up to 82% or 600 mg/l. Optical emission spectroscopy was used for phosphate dosage. 31P NMR showed a singlet at δp = 3.72 ppm indicating that orthophosphate (H3PO4, HPO-4, HPO2-4 and PO3-4) was recovered. The phosphate containing supernatant solution was reacted with stoichiometric amounts of MgCl2 and NH4OH to precipitate struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O). The crystalline fertilizer was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy comprising elemental analysis, revealing a composition accuracy of ∼90% and the absence of any toxic metals such as As, Cd, Pb, or Cr. The phosphate extraction is also a means to reduce the volume of digested sewage sludge while increasing the heat of combustion. This study represents a concept for sustainable decentralized phosphate recycling.

UV-ABC screens of luteolin derivatives compared to edelweiss extract
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Evelyne Zufferey, Jean-Marc Bourgeois, Julien Héritier, Fabrice Micaux

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology,  2011, vol. 103, no. 1, pp. 8-15

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Résumé:

Pure luteolin is a remarkably heat (200 °C/6 days) and UV stable UV-A screen, however, native luteolin enriched to 37% in an edelweiss extract lost its UV-A screen properties upon UV irradiation (∼4 MJ m−2). This contrasting behavior led to the examination of a series of purified luteolin derivatives as UV screen candidates. 3′,4′,5,7-Tetralipoyloxyflavones were synthesized from luteolin (3′,4′,5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) and fatty acid chlorides. These acylated semi-biomolecules show a hypsochromic shift in UV–Vis spectra of about ΔλA→B = 58 nm and absorbed in the centre of the harmful UV-B band (λmax = 295 nm). Luteolin was also hydroxyethylated with Br(CH2)2OH. This substitution has no effect on the λmax = 330 nm absorption of luteolin (UV-A band). Finally the natural 4′-O-β-glucosyl-3′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone was extracted from edelweiss and used as a purified natural benchmark. Glycosylated and hydroxyethylated luteolin are both UV stable. Fully acylated luteolin derivatives degrade upon UV exposure to a stable UV-C screen with a hypsochroic shift ΔλB→C = 35 nm. All in all, three molecular structures based on luteolin with sunscreen properties were found, distinguishable in: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C filters. The natural product based UV-absorbers show promise as alternatives to synthetic molecules and nanoparticles in sunscreen products.

Lower critical solution temperature in superheated water :
Article scientifique ArODES
the highest in the poly(N,N-dialkylacrylamide) series

Fabian Fischer, Daniel Zufferey, Raul Tahoces

Polymer International,  2011, vol. 60, pp. 1259-1262

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Résumé:

Microcalorimetry and cloud point extrapolation indicate a lower critical solution temperature of 216 °C for poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA). This is the highest phase-transition temperature in the poly(N,N-dialkylacrylamide) series. Cloud points were recorded from electrolyte solutions made of Na3PO4, CaCO3, (NH4)2SO4 and KOH. These measurements were realized below and beyond the boiling point of water. The hydrolytic properties of PDMA in superheated water (200 °C) were examined and verified using 1H NMR analysis. The knowledge of the phase-transition temperature of pure PDMA is of interest, as it is often a constituent of smart copolymers, to adjust the responsiveness to a desired temperature threshold.

2010

Enzyme catalysis with small ionic liquid quantities
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Julien Mutschler, Daniel Zufferey

Journal of Industrial Microbiology Biotechnology,  2011, vol. 38, no. 4, 477-487

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Résumé:

Enzyme catalysis with minimal ionic liquid quantities improves reaction rates, stereoselectivity and enables solvent-free processing. In particular the widely used lipases combine well with many ionic liquids. Demonstrated applications are racemate separation, esterification and glycerolysis. Minimal solvent processing is also an alternative to sluggish solvent-free catalysis. The method allows simplified down-stream processing, as only traces of ionic liquids have to be removed.

Outward electron transfer by saccharomyces cerevisiae monitored with a bi-cathodic microbial fuel cell-type activity sensor
Article scientifique ArODES

Raphaël Ducommun, Marie-France Favre, Delphine Carrard, Fabian Fischer

Yeast,  2010, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 139-148

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Résumé:

A Janus head-like bi-cathodic microbial fuel cell was constructed to monitor the electron transfer from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a woven carbon anode. The experiments were conducted during an ethanol cultivation of 170 g/l glucose in the presence and absence of yeast-peptone medium. First, using a basic fuel-cell type activity sensor, it was shown that yeast-peptone medium contains electroactive compounds. For this purpose, 1% solutions of soy peptone and yeast extract were subjected to oxidative conditions, using a microbial fuel cell set-up corresponding to a typical galvanic cell, consisting of culture medium in the anodic half-cell and 0.5 M K(3)Fe(CN)(6) in the cathodic half-cell. Second, using a bi-cathodic microbial fuel cell, it was shown that electrons were transferred from yeast cells to the carbon anode. The participation of electroactive compounds in the electron transport was separated as background current. This result was verified by applying medium-free conditions, where only glucose was fed, confirming that electrons are transferred from yeast cells to the woven carbon anode. Knowledge about the electron transfer through the cell membrane is of importance in amperometric online monitoring of yeast fermentations and for electricity production with microbial fuel cells.

2009

Online monitoring of yeast cultivation using a fuel-cell-type activity sensor
Article scientifique ArODES

Marie-France Favre, Delphine Carrard, Raphaël Ducommun, Fabian Fischer

Journal of Industrial Microbiology Biotechnology,  2009, vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 1307-1314

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Résumé:

A microbial fuel-cell type activity sensor integrated into 500 mL and 3.2 L bioreactors was employed for ampero- (μA) and potentiometric (mV) measurements. The aim was to follow the microbial activity during ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to detect the end of carbohydrate consumption. Three different sensor setups were tested to record electrochemical signals produced by the metabolism of glucose and fructose (1:1) online. In a first setup, a reference electrode was used to record the potentiometric values, which rose from 0.26 to 0.5 V in about 10 h during the growth phase. In a second setup, a combination of ampero- and pseudo-potentiometric measurements delivered a maximum voltage of 35 mV. In this arrangement, the pseudo-potentiometric signal changed in a manner that was directly proportional to the amperometric signals, which reached a maximum value of 32 μA. In a third type of arrangement, a reference electrode was added to the anodic bioreactor compartment to carry out ampero- and potentiometric measurements; this is made possible by the high internal resistance of the cultivation. In this case, the reference potential rose to 0.44 V while the current maximum recorded by the working electrodes reached 27 μA. Reference and pseudo-reference electrodes were in all cases K3Fe(CN)6/carbon. Electrodes were made of 9 cm2 woven graphite. To compare the electrochemical signals with established values, the metabolism was also monitored for optical density (at 600 nm) indicating biomass production. For fructose and glucose conversion, HPLC with an Aminex column and RI detector was used, and ethanol production was analyzed by GC with methanol as internal standard. The combination of amperometric and potentiometric recordings was found to be an ideal setup and was successfully used in reproducible cultivations.

Ionic liquid-coated immobilized lipase for the synthesis of methylglucose fatty acid esters
Article scientifique ArODES

Julien Mutschler, Thierry Rausis, Jean-Marc Bourgeois, Christèle Bastian, Daniel Zufferey, Isabelle Vanessa Mohrenz, Fabian Fischer

Green Chemistry,  2009, vol. 11, pp. 1793-1800

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Résumé:

A homologous series of biosurfactants has been synthesized by a novel sustainable biotransformation technique and compared with three other enzymatic processes. 6-O-Alkanoyl-methyl-α-D-glucopyranosides were obtained by lipase mediated esterification of methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside with capric acid C10:0, lauric acid C12:0, myristic acid C14:0, palmitic acid C16:0, and oleic acid C18:1. Solvent free transformations were compared with the use of ionic liquids and organic solvents. The lipase from Candida antarctica B, immobilized on macroporous acrylic acid beads (Novozyme 435), was employed either untreated or coated with small amounts of ionic liquids. This resulted in superior efficiencies (80%) with 1-butyl-4-methylpyridine hexafluorophosphate [4bmpy][PF6] and broader substrate tolerance in comparison to solvent free transformation. The results show a positive correlation with increasing polarity of the ionic liquids used as liquid film-coating, which was in opposition to the use of the same ionic liquid as solvent. The analysis of the ionic liquid film coated catalyst carriers was performed by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

2008

Oxidation of organic substrates mediated by a heterogeneous Mn(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)-based catalyst
Article scientifique ArODES

Dario Veghini, Marco Bosch, Fabian Fischer, Christelle Falco

Catalysis Communications,  2008, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 347-350

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Résumé:

Tungstosilicic acid readily undergoes salt metathesis with a Mn(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) complex to form a Mn-tungstosilicic salt. This compound, being insoluble in all common solvents, was used as a heterogeneous catalyst in oxidation reactions with H2O2 as an oxidising agent. Its catalytic performance was directly compared to the homogeneous Mn-catalyst counterpart. Despite leaching of manganese into the solution, all evidences suggest, that the reaction is taking place at the solid surface rather than in solution. The catalytic selectivity of both Mn-complexes was comparable, but the activity of the Mn-tungstosilicic salt was lower than the homogeneous counterpart.

2006

Microwave induced chain transfer polymerization of a stimuli responsive polymer and determination of its critical solution temperature
Article scientifique ArODES

R. Freitag, Fabian Fischer

Journal of Chemical Education,  2006, vol. 83, no. 3, article no. 447

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Résumé:

This experiment provides an introduction for undergraduate students to the concepts of living radical polymerization (oligomerization) and to stimuli-responsive materials, namely, those showing a critical solution temperature in aqueous solution. Students learn to polymerize and examine an intelligent polymer in a 8-hour, one-day laboratory period. The poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) is a thermo-responsive polymer with a critical solution temperature (CST) of approximately 32 °C in pure water. Oligomeric PNIPAM (2000 g/mol) is telomerized with AIBN as initiator and 3-mercaptopropionic acid as chain transfer agent. The reactants are heated by microwave irradiation in a solvent-free process, employing a domestic microwave oven with 2.45 GHz magnetron frequency. The isolated telomer contains a single carboxylic function at one end of the polymer chain, allowing precise determination of the average molar mass by titration with NaOH solution and phenolphthalein as indicator. The CST phenomenon is easily detected by direct observation in daylight or by a temperature-programmed UV–vis spectrometer.

2005

Macromolecular imidazole–tenside conjugates with carbamate linkage
Article scientifique ArODES

Valentin Herbez, Fabian Fischer

Tetrahedron Letters,  2005, vol. 46, no. 40, pp. 6797-6799

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Résumé:

Polyethylene glycol tert-octylphenyl ether and polyoxyethylenesorbitan trioleate are polydisperse macromolecular detergent molecules, containing a single hydroxyl function, which was transformed by 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole into imidazole–detergent conjugates with a carbamate linkage.

2004

Chain transfer polymerisation of poly-N-alkylacrylamides in superheated methanol and by microwave induction
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Riad Tabib, Ruth Freitag

European Polymer Journal,  2004, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 403-408

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Résumé:

The chain transfer polymerisation (telomerisation) of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM), poly-N,N-dimethylacrylamide (PNDMAM) and poly-N-{3-(dimethylamino)propyl}acrylamide (PN3DMAPAM) as well as of co-polymers of PNIPAM and PNDMAM were studied. Reactions in superheated yet subcritical methanol (80–170 °C) and—under solvent free conditions—induced by microwave irradiation were compared in terms of product yield and quality to those obtained under standard reflux conditions (methanol reflux, ∼65 °C, ambient pressure). In superheated methanol the reaction time was reduced by 66%, the average molar mass and the yield (monomer conversion) remain largely unchanged. Dielectric heating reduces the reaction time even further, i.e. to the minute range. Surprisingly, the average molar mass of the polymers dropped by 30% in these experiments, an effect that is most likely caused by the higher polarity of the reaction mixture under solvent-free conditions.

2002

3-Mercaptopropionic Acid (3-MPA)
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer

Synlett,  2002, vol. 8, pp. 1368-1369

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Résumé:

3-Mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) belongs to the family of mercaptans. 3-MPA is known for a long time and was already synthesized by Lovén [1] in 1884. All major chemical suppliers sell the compound for a reasonable price nowadays. A convenient preparation is possible by the procedure of Gresham et al, [2] who employed MPA for various organic syntheses. This interesting bifunctional compound is also known as a versatile chain transfer reagent in the telomerization of short oligomers for biotechnological applications. [3]

1998

Rearrangement of 5-substituted 5-aminopentadienals
Article scientifique ArODES

Fabian Fischer, Daniel Berger, Markus Neuenschwander

Angewandte Chemie International Edition,  1998, vol. 37, no. 15, pp. 2138-2140

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Résumé:

Strong nucleophiles are needed for inducing ring opening 3→4 since the pyrylium salt intermediates 3, formed from 5-X-substituted 5-aminopenta-2,4-dienals 2 upon treatment with acid, are quite unreactive due to “aromatic” stabilization. However, this allows an easy access to a variety of 2-aminopyrylium salts 3 from “push–pull” enynes 1. X=OAc, F, Cl, Br, I, OPh.

2008

Online control of ethanol fermentation by a MFC-type biosensor
Conférence ArODES

Marie-France Favre, Raphaël Ducommun, Fabian Fischer

Chimia ; Proceedings of the Fall Meeting of the Swiss Chemical Society, 11 September 2008, Zurich, Switzerland

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