Advancements in tailored polymeric membranes for microbial fuel cells: a comprehensive review of recent developments and challenges

Abstract

The global bioenergy research community is very interested in the microbial fuel cell (MFC), a biofuel conversion technology that cleanses wastewater and produces power at the same time. Separators have come a long way, but problems like oxygen leakage and limited proton transfer still exist. These issues cause internal resistance and lower MFC performance, which restricts the practical use of separators. This review provides a thorough analysis of the latest membrane separators that are appropriate for MFCs, explaining their components, operating principles, and major performance-affecting elements such pH splitting problems, oxygen and substrate crossover, membrane resistance, and biofouling. Various membrane materials are explored, such as porous materials like textiles, glass fibers, and polymer, microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes, and ion exchange membranes (anion, cation, and bipolar). Specifically, characteristic ionic groups that are essential for the best MFC performance are what make anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and cation exchange membranes (CEMs) stand out. In addition, it provides a thorough overview of customized polymeric membranes for MFCs, including their function, necessary characteristics, advantages, types, structures, uses, manufacturing processes, characterization techniques, and strategies to enhance performance. This study emphasizes the crucial role of tailored polymeric membranes in advancing MFC technology for sustainable energy generation, while also exploring their future potential for enhanced performance.