Carbon-based materials in microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) provide a promising technology for wastewater treatment while recovering energy. The energy harvest performance of MFC closely depends on cathode and anode catalysts’ activities where reduction and oxidation reactions occurred. A variety of electrode materials and structures have been tested in the past decades to improve catalytic performance and lower configuration cost. In this chapter, a review of carbon-based catalysts in MFCs is outlined to provide an insight into the electrode reaction in terms of electron transfer and polarization loss. The advantages and drawbacks of these materials are also analyzed toward potential application. In addition, the challenges and prospects of future development of electrode materials are discussed.