Microbial fuel cell

Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Ecology

Biology

Materials science

Pollutant

Power (physics)

Electricity generation

Chemical engineering

Physical chemistry

Biochemical engineering

Waste management

Physics

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Biomass (ecology)

Process engineering

Environmental science

Chemistry

Electrode

Anode

Environmental Technology & Innovation

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is highly efficient bioelectrochemical systems in which bacteria are utilized to oxidize the organic substrate and produce electricity. The main component of an MFCs is the anode, in which bacterial attachment is promoted and the generation and transfer of electrons occurs. Therefore, the interest of introducing novel and innovative anode materials for attaining a high performance of MFCs is a concern that is growing in the modern era. In this review article, different conventional and modern anode materials are briefly discussed considering their advantages and limitations. Among all, the natural biomass-derived materials were found as one of the best sources to meet the present challenges to utilize them as anodes in MFCs. The natural derived anodes presented some limitations which can be addressed through metal oxide composites as described in this article. The oxidation mechanism of pollutants on the surface of anode along with their bacterial interactions are also briefly summarized. This review is limited to the performance and development of the anode in MFCs.

Modern trend of anodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs): An overview