Effects of Co₃O₄ modified with MoS₂ on microbial fuel cells performance

In this study, Co₃O₄@MoS₂ is prepared as anodic catalytic material for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). As the mass fraction of MoS₂ is 20%, the best performance of Co₃O₄@MoS₂ composite catalytic material is achieved, and the addition of MoS₂ enhances both the electrical conductivity and catalytic performance of the composite catalyst. Through the structural characterization of Co₃O₄@MoS₂ composite catalytic material, nanorod-like Co₃O₄ and lamellar MoS₂ interweaved and stacked each other, and the agglomeration of Co₃O₄ is weakened. Among the four groups of single-chamber MFCs constructed, the Co₃O₄@MoS₂-MFC shows the best power production performance with a maximum stable output voltage of to 539 mV and a maximum power density of up to 2221 mW/m². Additionally, the ammonia nitrogen removal rate of the MFCs loaded with catalysts is enhanced by about 10% compared with the blank carbon cloth MFC. Overall, the findings suggest that Co₃O₄@MoS₂ composite catalysts can significantly improve the performance of MFCs, making them more effective for both energy production and wastewater treatment.