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Bi-directional modulation of electron transfer and capacitive behavior in sediment microbial fuel cells by hydrochar and acetate

1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

2Master Program of Energy, School of Postgraduate Studies, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

3Research Collaboration Center for Electrochemistry, BRIN - Diponegoro University, Indonesia

4 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

5 Center of Biomass and Renewable Energy (CBIORE), UPT Lab Terpadu 4th Floor, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

6 Department of Chemistry, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, South Korea

7 DAU G-LAMP Project Group, Institute of Natural Science, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, South Korea

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Received: 4 Feb 2026; Revised: 16 Jun 2026; Accepted: 27 Jul 2026; Available online: 9 Aug 2026; Published: 1 Sep 2026.
Editor(s): Rupam Kataki
Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by Centre of Biomass and Renewable Energy (CBIORE)
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract
Marine sediment microbial fuel cells (MS-MFCs) provide a sustainable approach for harvesting energy from benthic environments, but their performance is limited by slow electron-transfer kinetics, unstable power output, and charge-storage capability. This study investigates the coupled kinetic and capacitive enhancement of MS-MFCs through co-modification with biomass-derived hydrochar (HC) and acetate as complementary electron-transfer and metabolic modulators. Four sediment compositions containing 0, 5, 10, and 15% (v/v) HC were operated for 30 days under a 1 kΩ external load, with acetate introduced on Day 21 to stimulate microbial metabolism. Electrochemical behavior was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, electron-transfer kinetic analysis, current-density monitoring, power-density measurements, and physicochemical characterization of the anolyte. The apparent electron-transfer rate constant (ks) increased from 1.77 s⁻¹ in the unamended control to 3.19 s⁻¹ and 3.49 s⁻¹ in the 10% and 15% HC systems, respectively. Maximum power densities reached 21.8–23.1 mW m⁻², approximately three orders of magnitude higher than the control. Hydrochar also improved redox stability, ionic conductivity, and apparent capacitive behavior by providing a porous, conductive, and pseudocapacitive scaffold that supported microbial attachment and facilitated microbe–electrode coupling. Meanwhile, acetate served as a readily metabolizable carbon source that accelerated microbial activity and enhanced electron delivery to the anode. The strongest performance was observed at 10–15% HC, although the 15% system showed mass-transfer limitations during operation. These findings demonstrate a synergistic relationship between kinetic enhancement, substrate utilization, and capacitive charge buffering, offering a mechanistic basis for designing robust, self-sustaining MS-MFCs for in situ coastal energy recovery and environmental monitoring

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Keywords: bioenergy; biomass; marine sediment; energy storage; energy conversion

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