Fabrication of Biowaste Derived Graphene-Based Nanocomposite Anodes for Bioenergy Production

In this study, reduced graphene oxide (E-rGO) derived from Enset plant corm was used as an anode material in a double-chamber MFC. To enhance electron transfer and improve energy output, composite anodes E-rGO/Fe3O4 and E-rGO/Fe3O4/PANI were synthesized, with the latter fabricated via in-situ polymerization of polyaniline on E-rGO/Fe3O4. The materials were characterized using UV-Vis, SEM, XRD, FTIR, Raman, and TGA to analyze their structural, optical, morphological, and thermal properties. Electrochemical performance was assessed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ternary E-rGO/Fe3O4/PANI nanocomposite anode exhibited the highest performance, achieving a maximum power density of 63 mW/m² and a current density of 1312 mA/m², significantly higher than E-rGO (8.75 mW/m², 609 mA/m²) and E-rGO/Fe3O4 (39.77 mW/m², 1171 mA/m²) anodes.