Toward a Sustainable Biocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Microbial Fuel Cells

Abstract

The development of a sustainable catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is still one of the main bottlenecks for the scale-up and industrialization of bioelectrochemical systems (BES), especially for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). With mixed bacterial communities being able to achieve ORR onset potentials of +0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl, biocatalysts represent a promising alternative to the commonly used chemical catalysts such as platinum. However, they are still challenging to develop and control, and their performance is dependent on operating conditions, such as electrode materials and oxygen mass transfer. This chapter aims in putting the light on the recent knowledge gained on aerobic biocathodes, including bacterial communities involved in the ORR, their interactions with solid-state electrodes and the impact of operational parameters on their performance.