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Background <p>The availability of clean water and energy security are the most crucial aspects globally due to rapid industrialization and population growth. To fulfill these needs, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) emerge as powerful, sustainable tools with lower carbon footprints as compared to conventional methods. MFCs utilize microorganisms for both biopower generation and wastewater treatment. Previously reported methods with some modifications were used for the preparation of ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanowires, Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene, and ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene, followed by their characterization using XRD, SEM, and EDX techniques. This study investigated the potential effects of electrode modification with the synthesized material and facultative anaerobic microbial communities, as compared to mixed sludge, on the performance of MFCs.</p> Results <p>The performance of MFCs configured with a CF anode modified with ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene was investigated in comparison with that of the unmodified anode. The MFC configured with ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene@CF anode provided with a mixture of pure microbial consortium (facultative anaerobic bacteria) displayed the best performance, i.e., 732.9 mV (output voltage), 387.2 mWm<sup>− 2</sup> (power density), and 84% COD removal efficiency, which could be attributed to the large surface area and efficient electron transfer. The MFC equipped with ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene@CF anode displayed 9.7% and 4% more output voltage and %COD removal, respectively, while using a mixture of pure facultative anaerobic microbial culture comparative to the MFC operations carried out using sludge as a source of mixed microbial communities.</p> Conclusion <p>The order of MFC performance characteristics in terms of anode material was depicted to be ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene@CF &gt; ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>@CF &gt; Bare CF. Hence, the present research shows that the facultative microbial culture showed superior results to the sludge, and the usage of ɑ-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Nb<sub>2</sub>C-MXene as a modifier for MFC anode exhibits potential to be employed as an emphatic electrode material for MFCs with improved bio-electrochemical performance characteristics.</p>

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Enhanced MFC Performance using α-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene Anodes and Facultative Anaerobes: A Comparative Study

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月18日

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  • Zara Mukaddas,
  • Muhammad Waseem Mumtaz,
  • Haamid Jameel,
  • Hamid Mukhtar,
  • Waheed Miran,
  • Ahmad Irfan,
  • Sabahat Bibi,
  • Haseeb Ashraf

摘要

Background

The availability of clean water and energy security are the most crucial aspects globally due to rapid industrialization and population growth. To fulfill these needs, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) emerge as powerful, sustainable tools with lower carbon footprints as compared to conventional methods. MFCs utilize microorganisms for both biopower generation and wastewater treatment. Previously reported methods with some modifications were used for the preparation of ɑ-Fe2O3 nanowires, Nb2C-MXene, and ɑ-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene, followed by their characterization using XRD, SEM, and EDX techniques. This study investigated the potential effects of electrode modification with the synthesized material and facultative anaerobic microbial communities, as compared to mixed sludge, on the performance of MFCs.

Results

The performance of MFCs configured with a CF anode modified with ɑ-Fe2O3 and ɑ-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene was investigated in comparison with that of the unmodified anode. The MFC configured with ɑ-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene@CF anode provided with a mixture of pure microbial consortium (facultative anaerobic bacteria) displayed the best performance, i.e., 732.9 mV (output voltage), 387.2 mWm− 2 (power density), and 84% COD removal efficiency, which could be attributed to the large surface area and efficient electron transfer. The MFC equipped with ɑ-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene@CF anode displayed 9.7% and 4% more output voltage and %COD removal, respectively, while using a mixture of pure facultative anaerobic microbial culture comparative to the MFC operations carried out using sludge as a source of mixed microbial communities.

Conclusion

The order of MFC performance characteristics in terms of anode material was depicted to be ɑ-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene@CF > ɑ-Fe2O3@CF > Bare CF. Hence, the present research shows that the facultative microbial culture showed superior results to the sludge, and the usage of ɑ-Fe2O3/Nb2C-MXene as a modifier for MFC anode exhibits potential to be employed as an emphatic electrode material for MFCs with improved bio-electrochemical performance characteristics.