http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 1632 editor@iaeme.com International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET) Volume 09, Issue 13, December 2018, pp. 1632–1641, Article ID: IJMET_09_13_165 Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=09&IType=13 ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed REVIEW ON PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANES AND ITS APPLICATION IN MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS *Sandeep Dharmadhikari, Prabir Ghosh, Manivannan Ramachandran, Vijyendra Kumar Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India *Corresponding author. E-mail: sandee.maddy@gmail.com ABSTRACT In recent decade, proton exchange membranes (PEMs) have entered from a laboratory to an industrial scale for fulfillment of the needs of growing population. PEMs are employed in several areas like in an ion exchange process for deionized water, fuel cell for power generation and wastewater treatment of commercial effluents. The fuel cells have wonderful scope for power generation like direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) or proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Microbial fuel cells are better than other fuel cells. Among rest of fuel cells, non-renewable fuels like methanol or hydrogen (H 2 ) were used as a fuel, but in microbial fuel cells (MFC) there are two compartments, anaerobic and aerobic. Thus, microorganisms live in aerobic compartment consumes organic and inorganic contaminants in wastewater and forms electrons (e - ) and protons (H + ). Electrons flow from an outer circuit, from anodic to cathodic compartment and generate electricity. As a result, current produced from cell can be used in a small devices such as sensors and water obtained after treatment can be reused. It makes MFC’s to be an environmentally friendly process. MFC’s have several positive aspects, but still they exhibit some limitations like low power generation and current density. In this review, brief discussion on development of PEMs with their varied modifications and applications in fuel cell is summarized. Keywords: Microbial fuel cells; Proton exchange membranes; bioelectricity, eco- friendly process Cite this Article: Sandeep Dharmadhikari, Prabir Ghosh, Manivannan Ramachandran and Vijyendra Kumar, Review on Proton Exchange Membranes and its Application in Microbial Fuel Cells, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 09(13), 2018, pp. 1632–1641 http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=09&Type=13