Bioelectricity-generating behavior of a chemically modified carbon black anode in microbial fuel cells

The poor stability of the current output in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) inhibits its development and application on a large scale. In this work, a carbon black (CB) MFC anode was chemically activated using HNO3 and KOH as pretreatment agents at low temperature, and further modification was made by Fe3O4 addition to the host CB matrix. The enhanced anodic capacitance contributes to a steady power output with neither overshoot nor undershoot below 1.1 F/cm2. This resulted from the introduction of oxygen(nitrogen)-associated functionalities and the improvement of the surface wettability by the activation treatment. The chemical modification of a CB anode provides a feasible way to optimize power production and anodic capacitance in MFCs.

Graphical AbstractThe introduction of oxygen(nitrogen)-containing functional groups enhanced the anodic capacitance and improved the power stability of microbial fuel cells.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide