ABSTRACT
Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has drawn increasing attention due to the possibility of converting the chemical energy present in a substrate directly into electrical energy by action of microorganisms. The types of substrates that can be used in these devices range from simple organic substrates to biomass and wastes. This chapter focuses on the developments of new materials for the construction of MFC. The most widespread separators employed in MFCs are ion exchange membranes. They can be grouped in cation exchange membranes, anion exchange membranes and bipolar exchange membranes (BEMs). BEMs in combination with graphite electrodes assembled in the form of flat plates have been investigated to operate MFCs that include the reduction of ferric iron as an electron mediator for oxygen reduction. Salt bridges are an inexpensive option for proton exchange in MFCs. Salt bridges are used in double-chamber configurations in which the anode and the cathode compartments are connected through an electrolyte solution.
