Yalcinkaya Fatma, Torres-Mendieta Rafael, Hruza Jakub, Vávrová Andrea, Svobodová Lucie, Pietrelli Andrea, Ieropoulos Ioannis
Department of Environmental Technology, Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation, Technical University of Liberec Studentská 1402/2 461 17 Liberec Czech Republic
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Humanities and Education, Technical University of Liberec Studentská 1402/2 46117 Liberec Czech Republic.
RSC Adv. 2024 Mar 18;14(13):9122-9136. doi: 10.1039/d4ra00674g. eCollection 2024 Mar 14.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent simple devices that harness the metabolic activities of microorganisms to produce electrical energy from diverse sources such as organic waste and sustainable biomass. Because of their unique advantage to generate sustainable energy, through the employment of biodegradable and repurposed waste materials, the development of MFCs has garnered considerable interest. Critical elements are typically the electrodes and separator. This mini-review article presents a critical assessment of nanofiber technology used as electrodes and separators in MFCs to enhance energy generation. In particular, the review highlights the application of nanofiber webs in each part of MFCs including anodes, cathodes, and membranes and their influence on energy generation. The role of nanofiber technology in this regard is then analysed in detail, focusing on improved electron transfer rate, enhanced biofilm formation, and enhanced durability and stability. In addition, the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating nanofibers into MFCs are discussed, along with suggestions for future research in this field. Significant developments in MFCs over the past decade have led to a several-fold increase in achievable power density, yet further improvements in performance and the exploration of cost-effective materials remain promising areas for further advancement. This review demonstrates the great promise of nanofiber-based electrodes and separators in future applications of MFCs.
微生物燃料电池(MFCs)是一种简单的装置,它利用微生物的代谢活动,从有机废物和可持续生物质等多种来源产生电能。由于其通过使用可生物降解和再利用的废料来产生可持续能源的独特优势,MFCs的发展引起了广泛关注。关键部件通常是电极和分离器。这篇小型综述文章对用作MFCs电极和分离器以提高能量产生的纳米纤维技术进行了批判性评估。特别是,该综述强调了纳米纤维网在MFCs各部分(包括阳极、阴极和膜)中的应用及其对能量产生的影响。然后详细分析了纳米纤维技术在这方面的作用,重点是提高电子转移速率、增强生物膜形成以及提高耐久性和稳定性。此外,还讨论了将纳米纤维集成到MFCs中所面临的挑战和机遇,以及该领域未来研究的建议。在过去十年中,MFCs取得了重大进展,可实现的功率密度提高了几倍,但性能的进一步改善和具有成本效益的材料的探索仍然是有前景的进一步发展领域。本综述展示了基于纳米纤维的电极和分离器在MFCs未来应用中的巨大潜力。