Graphene and its derivatives as advanced anodes in microbial fuel cells: Enhancing bioelectrochemical energy conversion

Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) provide a sustainable platform for converting organic waste into renewable electricity, but their widespread use has been hampered by limitations of conventional anode materials. Graphene and its derivatives such as graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGo), doped graphene (DG), graphene-based composites (GBCs), and 3D graphene architectures (3DGAs) have recently emerged as attractive anode materials because to their remarkable electrical, structural, and surface properties. This review summarizes recent progress in the design, synthesis, and application of graphene-based anodes in MFC systems. We first look at how various material classes, such as GO, rGO, DG, and 3D scaffolds, improve microbial-electrode interactions, extracellular electron transport, and biofilm formation. Next, we compare the performance results of power density, current density, coulombic efficiency, charge-transfer resistance, and stability to those of traditional carbon-based anodes. We also discuss how functionalization (heteroatom doping, composite creation), morphological control (foams, aerogels), and hybridization methods can yield synergistic benefits. Finally, we address the remaining challenges, such as manufacturing costs, material durability under complex wastewater conditions, scale-up issues, and life-cycle sustainability, and propose future directions for incorporating graphene-based anodes into scalable, circular-economy wastewater-to-energy systems. This review, by combining current accomplishments, seeks to help researchers and engineers design next-generation, high-performance, and sustainable MFC anodes.