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Applications of Nanomaterials in Microbial Fuel Cells

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Book cover Nanomaterials for Fuel Cell Catalysis

Part of the book series: Nanostructure Science and Technology ((NST))

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) make use of the bioelectrochemical metabolic pathways of microorganisms to generate electrical energy, often by way of a bioanode-cathode configuration. To translate MFCs into technologies that are implementable, two overarching goals currently dominate research in this area: extending their ability to treat a range of pollutants (bioremediation), and improving their energy generation capacities. The increased knowledge in the field of nanotechnology is a much-examined route to providing innovative solutions to overcome certain existing limitations of MFCs.

In this book chapter, the evolving role of nanotechnology in microbial fuel cells and current main research themes are outlined, according to the intended function of the nanotechnological intervention: supporting organism-electrode (biotic) interactions; as catalysts for abiotic processes, and serving as supports for catalysts of both biotic and abiotic processes.

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  1. Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    R. Fogel & J. L. Limson

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  1. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa

    Kenneth I. Ozoemena

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, SANTA CRUZ, California, USA

    Shaowei Chen

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Fogel, R., Limson, J.L. (2016). Applications of Nanomaterials in Microbial Fuel Cells. In: Ozoemena, K., Chen, S. (eds) Nanomaterials for Fuel Cell Catalysis. Nanostructure Science and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29930-3_14

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