Fabrication of microbial fuel cells with nanoelectrodes for enhanced bioenergy production
Suresh Kumar Krishnan, Senthilkumar Kandasamy, Kavitha Subbiah
Abstract
Global energy demand is accelerating almost daily, resulting in an energy crisis and environmental pollution. Energy from fossil fuels remains nonsustainable owing to their limited, exhausting supplies and the environmental impact. Hence there has risen a need for alternate energy sources which are ecofriendly and sustainable. Researchers worldwide are studying microbial fuels to this end. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) works on the principle of converting chemical energy from microbes into electrical energy. The entire process is mediated through microbial catalytic reactions. Although the initial power generation efficiency of MFCs was low, a number of recent alterations to the design, parts, and overall process have resulted in enhanced power output. Recently, nanomaterials such as cerium and graphene have been incorporated into anodes and cathodes for better energy derivation.