Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide coated and molybdenum deposited nickel foam electrode in order to be used at the anode of the microbial fuel cell

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are chemical reactors that can convert the chemical energy stored in the bonds of organic compounds into electrical energy through catalytic reactions of microorganisms in an anaerobic environment. It is important to develop these systems to reduce the current costs of wastewater treatment systems and to evaluate urban wastewater, having a great energy potential in terms of biodegradable organic substances, while reducing its polluting effects on the environment. The structure of the material used as anode electrode in MFC cells directly affects the adhesion of microorganisms to the anode, oxidation of the substrate and electron transfer. In order to be used in MFC, nickel foam (NF) with a three-dimensional and macroporous structure was coated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to ensure a good electrical connection by attachment of microorganisms to the surface and the most suitable molybdenum (Mo) loading method was determined to increase the adhesion of electron-producing bacterial species to the surface. Also, the effects of heat treatment with H 2 gas before loading and using ethylene glycol (EG) as reducing agent in the hydrothermal deposition were investigated in Mo loadings. As a result of the study, it was observed that adding EG to the starting solution increased Mo loading, while passing H 2 gas disrupted the surface morphology. When the SEM images and EDS analyzes were examined after the study, it was observed that the most homogeneous surface morphology and the highest efficiency were in the NK/rGO/Mo-E sample, which contained 84.39% Mo by mass.