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Fabrication of A Robust Low-Cost High Performance Stainless Steel-Based Polypyrrole Anode for Microbial Fuel Cells

  • Jayesh M. Sonawane 1,*,   
  • Isha Kohli 2,   
  • R. K. Singh Raman 2,   
  • Prakash C. Ghosh 3,   
  • Samuel Adeloju 4,*

Received: 02 Feb 2025 | Revised: 01 Sep 2025 | Accepted: 25 Sep 2025 | Published: 01 Oct 2025

Abstract

The use of stainless steel (SS) as an anode in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) suffers from significant limitations, such as poor biocompatibility, high activation overpotential, high charge transfer resistance, poor corrosion resistance, and its hydrophobic nature can hinder electron transfer. In this study, we present a robust approach for producing a low-cost, durable and biocompatible polyprrole (PPy) coating on a stainless plate (SS-P) anode for high performance MFC in harsh environments. The established galvanostatic polymerisation conditions produced PPy/SS-P anodes with improved surface area, enhanced electron transfer and good biocompatibility for enhanced MFC performance. Optimum PPy coating on the SS-P was achieved with an applied constant current density of 2.5 mA cm−2 for 15 min in a 0.7 M L-(+)-Tartaric acid solution, which contained 0.4 M Py. The effective formation of the PPy film on the SS-P was confirmed by chronopotentiometry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The nature of the PPy coating and its degree of hydrophilicity were investigated by contact angle measurements. It was found, for the first time, that this coating can transition from hydrophobic to hydrophilic upon exposure to an aqueous solution. This had a significant influence on the integrity and performance of the PPy coating when utilised for MFC. Also, in-depth analytical characterization of the PPy/SS-P was conducted by 3D profilometry and time-dependent electrochemical spectroscopy to provide insights into the nature and durability of the coatings. The subsequent utilization of the PPy/SS-P anodes in a single-chamber MFC gave a much lower open circuit voltage (OCVmax) of 355 ± 33 mV and 624 ± 47 mV for the first and second cycles, compared to 608 ± 32 mV and 664 ± 27 mV obtained for the SS-P anode. Also, the jmax of 0.027 ± 0.002 mA cm−2 and a Pmax of 0.020 ± 0.009 mW cm−2 obtained with the PPy/SS-P anode were much higher than with the SS-P anode, which gave jmax of 0.0012 ± 0.0008 mA cm−2 and Pmax of 0.010 ± 0.003 mW cm−2. Furthermore, a 3-fold increase in electricity production was achieved during the startup phase with the PPy/SS-P anode, but such an increase was not realised with the SS-P anode. The proposed PPy/SS-P anode, therefore, offers a great promise for use as a low-cost anode in MFC.

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Sonawane, J. M.; Kohli, I.; Raman, R. K. S.; Ghosh, P. C.; Adeloju, S. Fabrication of A Robust Low-Cost High Performance Stainless Steel-Based Polypyrrole Anode for Microbial Fuel Cells. Bioelectrochemical Systems and Applications 2025, 1 (1), 3.
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