An overview of electrode materials in microbial fuel cells

Electrode materials play an important role in the performance (e.g., power output) and cost of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which use bacteria as the catalysts to oxidize organic (inorganic) matter and convert chemical energy into electricity. In this paper, the recent progress of anode/cathode materials and filling materials as three-dimensional electrodes for MFCs has been systematically reviewed, resulting in comprehensive insights into the characteristics, options, modifications, and evaluations of the electrode materials and their effects on different actual wastewater treatment. Some existing problems of electrode materials in current MFCs are summarized, and outlooks for future development are also suggested. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.