Micro-Cu Doped Co₃O₄ as an Effective Oxygen Reduction Nano-flower-like Catalyst to Enhance the Power Output of Air Cathode Microbial Fuel Cell

Air cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) can use the biological activities of microorganisms to convert organic matter into ideal electrical energy, but this efficiency has not been satisfactory. The air cathode requires an optimal catalyst to enhance the power output of the MFC by improving its low oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. Micro Cu-doped Co₃O₄ nano-flower-like catalyst is successfully synthesized in this study using a metal-organic framework as the precursor material. The addition of 5% Cu induces a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies, thereby optimizing the local electronic state of the active site and enhancing the catalytic performance for oxygen reduction in the 5% Cu-Co₃O₄ material. Consequently, when equipped with this material, the power output of the air cathode MFC is approximately 2.85 times greater than that achieved with pure Co₃O₄. This provides a novel design idea for the application of nano-flower-like transition metal oxygen reduction catalysts in MFC.