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Dual-physical-field coupling engineered MXene/polypyrrole hydrogel anode with transmembrane electron transfer enhancement strategy

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  • Gao, Yuan
  • Zhu, Xinyu
  • Chen, Ye
  • Wen, Qing

Abstract

Charge characteristics of materials significantly influence the growth of exoelectrogens and electron transfer in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). This study focused on regulating the charge distribution at the anode interface where electroactive bacteria attach. Here, an electro-low-temperature dual-field coupling strategy was employed to form MXene/PPy hydrogels, and their structural and charge distribution characteristics were thoroughly investigated. Experimental results demonstrated that under dual-field coupling, the protonated nitrogen content in the material increased significantly (24.2 % → 26.23 %), and the zero-charge potential decreased markedly (−0.430 V → −0.455 V), which enhanced the electrostatic attraction of the anode interface to electroactive bacterial communities. High-throughput sequencing and PICRUSt analysis revealed preferential enrichment of electroactive species (69.26 % → 85.84 %), leading to more efficient direct extracellular electron transfer and a 1.5-fold increase in MFC power density (reaching 3.51 W/m2). Theoretical calculations further confirmed that the functional enrichment of protonated nitrogen (-N+ = , -NH+) facilitated uptake electrons from FePc and accelerated electron transfer efficiency (EET). This study emphasizes the optimization of charge distribution and interfacial electron flow pathways (Fe atom in the FePc → Nppy → Cppy → MXene → CF electrode) at the MXene/PPy anode under dual-field coupling, highlighting the potential of this modification strategy in biofunctional materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Yuan & Zhu, Xinyu & Chen, Ye & Wen, Qing, 2026. "Dual-physical-field coupling engineered MXene/polypyrrole hydrogel anode with transmembrane electron transfer enhancement strategy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:259:y:2026:i:c:s0960148125026977
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.125033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rao, Ankit & Kaushik, Anubha & Rao, Vikrant Singh & Nehra, Satya Pal, 2024. "Facile and binder free nano-architecturing of anode with biocompatible g-C3N4-PPy for bacterial community enrichment and green energy generation in microbial fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 376(PB).
    2. Liu, Hongzhou & Chen, Tiezhu & Li, Jianchang, 2025. "Microelectric field enhances microbial fuel cell liquid-phase mass transfer to increase power output: An experimental and multi-physics field simulation study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    3. Liu, Hong-zhou & Chen, Tie-zhu & Wang, Nan & Zhang, Yu-rui & Li, Jian-chang, 2024. "A new strategy for improving MFC power output by shared electrode MFC–MEC coupling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
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