A Review on Advancements of Nanocomposites as Efficient Anode Modifier Catalyst for Microbial Fuel Cell Performance Improvement

Non-renewable energy sources produced from natural coal and oil may result in climate change and global warming as greenhouse gases are to the environment. This is why the main utilization of energy sources on renewable and alternate green energy  to deliver power. Thus, a microbial fuel cell device is one of the cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy conversion devices that uses renewable organic wastes as fuel source and converts this stored chemical energy in to useful bioelectricity while simultaneously treating the waste in the presence of a biocatalyst. Therefore, it is the most cost effective and simple electrochemical technique that delivers renewable energies. Most of the time, the electrodes of fuel cells are commercialized and depends on platinum catalyst. Obviously, platinum and its family cost are so expensive. To solve this, researchers are focused on low-cost electrode materials fabrication but still they are in low performance towards wastewater and current generations. Currently, conventional carbon materials are utilized as anode electrodes in laboratory even in pilot scale microbial fuel cell system but are ineffective in their performances due to various reasons. So, to improve performance, anode electrodes were modified with nanocomposites composed from low-cost transition metal oxides and conducting polymeric materials. Therefore, in this review possible ways of transition metal oxide synthesis, including the green method to form composites with selective conducting polymers, composite modification of the anode, and its role for wastewater treatment, dye removal, and bioelectricity generation, are briefly discussed.