Controlled Substrate Crossover from Cathode to Anode for Long-Term Autonomous Operation of Microbial Fuel Cells: A Transport–Reaction Modeling Study

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have been widely investigated as decentralized bioelectrochemical systems capable of converting organic substrates into electricity. However, their long-term autonomous operation is constrained by substrate depletion in the anode compartment, leading to metabolic starvation of electroactive biofilms and a decline in power output. Conventional MFC design treats substrate crossover through the membrane separator as a parasitic loss that reduces coulombic efficiency. In this work, we propose a conceptual inversion of this paradigm by considering controlled cathodic-to-anodic substrate crossover as a passive mechanism to sustain basal microbial metabolism during periods of substrate scarcity. A transport–reaction framework is developed to quantify the balance between membrane-mediated substrate flux and microbial maintenance demand within the anode biofilm. Based on this balance, a dimensionless maintenance crossover Damköhler number ( Da m ) is introduced to define three operational regimes: starvation-dominated ( Da m ≫ 1), balanced autonomous ( Da m ≈ 1), and crossover-dominated ( Da m ≪ 1). The framework integrates membrane transport theory with biofilm kinetics to evaluate the effects of separator properties, substrate gradients, and current-dependent electro-osmotic transport on system stability. Order-of-magnitude analysis indicates that achievable crossover fluxes span several orders of magnitude depending on separator characteristics, suggesting that membrane properties critically influence system behavior. This perspective reframes substrate crossover from a loss mechanism to a potential design variable, offering a conceptual tool for enhancing resilience and guiding separator selection in MFCs intended for long-duration, and low-maintenance operation. Highlights Controlled crossover can sustain microbial metabolism in MFCs Introduces maintenance crossover Damköhler number ( Da m ) Identifies regimes for autonomous and starvation operation Links membrane properties to long-term system stability Reframes crossover as a design variable, not only a loss