Single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with a simple structure and superior performance have been extensively studied. However, due to the sluggish kinetics of the cathode oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), the power generation of MFCs is greatly constrained. It is highly desirable to explore efficient cathode catalysts for reducing the overpotential to improve the electrochemical performance of MFCs. To date, a considerable number of carbon-based composites have exhibited comparable power generation capacity to Pt in MFCs, showing the great potential in the development of remarkable performance and low-cost cathode ORR catalysts. Herein, recent achievements of carbon-based composites of air-cathodes based on single-chamber MFCs are summarized, mainly focusing on the selection of carbon-based materials, composite synthesis methods, and structural regulation on the nanoscale. The key factors affecting the ORR in composites are also discussed. The crucial challenges of MFCs that still need to be resolved are further summed up before practical applications and scale-up fabrication. Particularly, this review focuses on the design strategies and preparation methods of functional carbon-based composites to boost the performance of MFCs, aiming to provide some scientific directions to develop advanced materials for MFCs in the future.

中文翻译：

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基于阴极的微生物燃料电池碳复合催化剂的研究进展

具有简单结构和优越性能的单室微生物燃料电池（MFCs）已被广泛研究。然而，由于阴极氧还原反应（ORR）的动力学缓慢，MFCs的发电受到很大限制。非常需要探索有效的阴极催化剂来降低过电位以提高 MFC 的电化学性能。迄今为止，相当数量的碳基复合材料在 MFC 中表现出与 Pt 相当的发电能力，显示出在开发性能卓越和低成本的阴极 ORR 催化剂方面的巨大潜力。本文总结了基于单室MFCs的空气阴极碳基复合材料的最新成果，主要集中在碳基材料的选择、复合材料的合成方法、和纳米尺度的结构调控。还讨论了影响复合材料 ORR 的关键因素。在实际应用和放大制造之前，进一步总结了仍需要解决的 MFC 的关键挑战。特别是，本综述重点关注功能性碳基复合材料的设计策略和制备方法，以提高 MFCs 的性能，旨在为未来开发 MFCs 的先进材料提供一些科学方向。