Performance of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and epoxy for binders of palm kernel shell waste as electrode on sediment microbial fuel cells

¹ Environmental Engineering Study Program, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, 60115 Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
² Department of Ocean Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
³ Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, 60115 Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
⁴ Sustainable Environment Infrastructure Research Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, 60115 Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The demand for renewable and environmentally friendly energy continues to rise as fossil fuel resources decline and organic waste from the palm oil industry increases. One promising solution is the application of Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells (SMFC) utilizing biomass such as Palm Kernel Shell (PKS), which are able to generate electricity while simultaneously reducing pollutant loads. The performance of SMFC is strongly influenced by the electrode and binder used, since these components determine electron transfer efficiency, stability, and microbial interaction. Among commonly used binders, Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) and Epoxy show different properties in conductivity and durability. This study compares their performance in PKS-SMFC systems in terms of power output, Loss on Ignition (LOI), and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal. The results indicate that Epoxy-based electrodes produced lower power density, while PVDF-based electrodes provided significantly higher electrical output, reflecting superior electron transfer capability. For organic matter reduction, Epoxy electrodes showed moderate effectiveness, whereas PVDF exhibited greater removal ability. COD removal performance, however, varied according to wastewater type: in overlay water, both binders were comparably effective, while in pore water, Epoxy showed more consistent pollutant removal compared to PVDF. These findings suggest that PVDF is more suitable for enhancing energy production and organic matter reduction, whereas Epoxy ensures stable COD removal under certain wastewater conditions. Therefore, the choice of binder should be tailored to system objectives, whether prioritizing maximum power generation or ensuring reliable pollutant removal.