Modification of the anodes using MoS2 nanoflowers for improving microbial fuel cells performance

• Published in: Catalysis today 2021-03, Vol.364, p.111-117
• Main Authors: Lou, Xiaoge, Liu, Zhongliang, Hou, Junxian, Zhou, Yu, Chen, Wenwen, Xing, Xiaoye, Li, Yanxia, Liao, Qiang, Zhu, Xun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anode modification; Biocompatibility; Graphene-like molybdenum disulfide; Microbial fuel cells; Nanoflowers
• ISSN: 0920-5861; 1873-4308
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2019.11.029

Power density and overall-cell polarization curves of GL-MoS2-CC/MFC, GL-MoS2-SSFF/MFC, CC/MFC, and SSFF/MFC. [Display omitted] •One-step hydrothermal method was proposed to synthesize graphene-like MoS2 nanoflowers.•Graphene-like MoS2 nanoflowers were used to modify microbial fuel cell anodes.•The method and the nanoflowers modification were proved to be simple, effective and of low cost. Anode, usually with limited specific surface area, poor biocompatibility and high-cost materials, is still the key obstacle for conventional dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC)’s wide application. To combat this challenge, graphene-like molybdenum disulfide (GL-MoS2) nanoflowers with a lateral size 200–300 nm are successfully synthesized via a simple one-step hydrothermal method and are used to modify MFC anodes. The experimental results show that GL-MoS2 nanoflowers modified carbon cloth (CC) and stainless-steel fiber felt (SSFF) anode obtains their maximum power density of 960.4 mW·m−2 and 713.6 mW·m−2 which are 1.7 and 3.6 times of their unmodified counterparts, respectively, which indicates that the modification not only can offer large specific surface area and good biocompatibility for biofilm growth, but also makes the anode surface more accessible for microbes’ colonization and substrate transfer and thus reduces polarization loss considerably. The graphene-like materials, especially those like GL-MoS2, are promising materials for excellent and cost-effective anode modification.