Hierarchically Three-Dimensional Nanofiber Based Textile with High Conductivity and Biocompatibility As a Microbial Fuel Cell Anode.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) encompass complex bioelectrocatalytic reactions that converting chemical energy of organic compounds to electrical energy. Improving the anode configuration is thought to be a critical step for enhancing MFCs performance. In present study, a hierarchically structured textile polypyrrole/poly(vinyl alcohol-co-polyethylene) nanofibers/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (referred to PPy/NFs/PET) is shown to be excellent anode for MFCs. This hierarchical PPy/NFs/PET anode affords an open porous and three-dimensional interconnecting conductive scaffold with larger surface roughness, facilitating microbial colonization and electron transfer from exoelectrogens to the anode. The mediator-less MFC equipped with PPy/NFs/PET anode achieves a remarkable maximum power density of 2420 mW m(-2) with Escherichia coli as the microbial catalyst at the current density of 5500 mA m(-2), which is approximately 17 times higher compared to a reference anode PPy/PET (144 mW m(-2)). Considering the low cost, low weight, facile fabrication, and good winding, this PPy/NFs/PET textile anode promises a great potential for high-performance and cost-effective MFCs in a large scale.