Recent Development in Cathodic Catalyst towards Performance of Bioelectrochemical Systems

Abstract

In recent years, bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have grabbed ample attention as renewable energy sources employed for various applications ranging from energy production to wastewater treatment to desalination. A BES as an energy-efficient technology still has a lot of constraints for practical implementation, particularly with balancing the need to increase the efficiency with the cost effectiveness of the system. Thus, arises the need for effective catalysts to have high catalytic activity, stability, and economic feasibility. Different types of cathodic catalysts including carbon-based catalysts, metal-based catalysts, metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) complexes, and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have been developed to enhance the overall efficiency of BESs. This chapter will give a comprehensive insight into the fundamentals of a BES, the different types of cathodic catalysts used, and their contribution to enhancing the performance of the system that would provide a future direction for their practical implementation.