Design and Optimization of Critical-Raw-Material-Free Electrodes towards the Performance Enhancement of Microbial Fuel Cells

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are sustainable energy recovery systems because they use organic waste as biofuel. Using critical raw materials (CRMs), like platinum-group metals, at the cathode side threatens MFC technology’s sustainability and raises costs. By developing an efficient electrode design for MFC performance enhancement, CRM-based cathodic catalysts should be replaced with CRM-free materials. This work proposes developing and optimizing iron-based air cathodes for enhancing oxygen reduction in MFCs. By subjecting iron phthalocyanine and carbon black pearls to controlled thermal treatments, we obtained Fe-based electrocatalysts combining high surface area (628 m2 g−1) and catalytic activity for O2 reduction at near-neutral pH. The electrocatalysts were integrated on carbon cloth and carbon paper to obtain gas diffusion electrodes whose architecture was optimized to maximize MFC performance. Excellent cell performance was achieved with the carbon-paper-based cathode modified with the Fe-based electrocatalysts (maximum power density-PDmax = 1028 mWm−2) compared to a traditional electrode design based on carbon cloth (619 mWm−2), indicating the optimized cathodes as promising electrodes for energy recovery in an MFC application.