Cathode Materials for Microbial Fuel Cells

Abstract

The most important problems of today are meeting the increasing energy needs and avoiding environmental pollution caused by fossil resources usage for energy production. In addition, the decrease in usable water in the world has become a threat to human health and the population. Microbial fuel cells (MFC) have become more interesting in recent years because of their potential to solve these three important problems. Organic and inorganic contents in wastewater can be seen as potential energy sources. MFCs are the only systems that can convert the chemical energy in the organic and inorganic content of wastewater into electricity. While this transformation is realized, the process of cleaning the wastewater can be done. Reducing the costs of these systems is the most important parameter to accelerate the use of the system. In particular, studies on reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of the catalysts used in the cathode compartment where the oxygen reduction reaction takes place are predominant. In this study, cathode materials used in MFCs will be examined and alternative materials will be discussed.