Kim Byeongcheol, Yang Euntae, Kim Bongkyu, Obaid M, Jang Jae Kyung, Chae Kyu-Jung
Technology Development Division, Korea Institute for Water Technology Certification (KIWATEC), 20 Gukgasandan-daero 40-gil, Guji-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu 43008, Korea.
Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Apr 12;12(8):1316. doi: 10.3390/nano12081316.
Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) have attracted significant interest as sustainable green hydrogen production devices because they utilize the environmentally friendly biocatalytic oxidation of organic wastes and electrochemical proton reduction with the support of relatively lower external power compared to that used by water electrolysis. However, the commercialization of MEC technology has stagnated owing to several critical technological challenges. Recently, many attempts have been made to utilize nanomaterials in MECs owing to the unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials originating from their extremely small size (at least <100 nm in one dimension). The extraordinary properties of nanomaterials have provided great clues to overcome the technological hurdles in MECs. Nanomaterials are believed to play a crucial role in the commercialization of MECs. Thus, understanding the technological challenges of MECs, the characteristics of nanomaterials, and the employment of nanomaterials in MECs could be helpful in realizing commercial MEC technologies. Herein, the critical challenges that need to be addressed for MECs are highlighted, and then previous studies that used nanomaterials to overcome the technological difficulties of MECs are reviewed.
微生物电解池（MECs）作为可持续的绿色制氢装置引起了广泛关注，因为与水电解相比，它们利用有机废物的环境友好型生物催化氧化以及在相对较低外部电源支持下的电化学质子还原。然而，由于一些关键技术挑战，MEC技术的商业化陷入了停滞。最近，由于纳米材料因其极小尺寸（至少一维尺寸小于100nm）而具有独特的物理化学性质，人们已多次尝试在MECs中使用纳米材料。纳米材料的非凡性质为克服MECs中的技术障碍提供了重要线索。纳米材料被认为在MECs的商业化中起着关键作用。因此，了解MECs的技术挑战、纳米材料的特性以及纳米材料在MECs中的应用，可能有助于实现商业化的MEC技术。在此，强调了MECs需要解决的关键挑战，然后回顾了以前使用纳米材料克服MECs技术难题的研究。
