Role of microorganisms in electrocatalysts for energy applications: Recent progresses

Recently, with the dual challenges of the global energy crisis and environmental pollution, developing efficient and environmentally friendly electrocatalysts is vital to clean energy conversion technologies. This review systematically elucidates the triple innovative roles of microorganisms in electrocatalysis: living biological catalysts, synthesizers of inorganic electrocatalysts, and templates for non-biological catalysts. By analyzing the corrosion properties, redox capabilities, metabolic pathways, and templating effects of microorganisms, this paper critically evaluates the application progress of microorganisms in electrocatalysts for clean energy conversion, and elucidates the design principles of microbial electrochemical technology based on the structure-activity-performance relationship. Finally, it proposes future development directions to address challenges such as electron transfer efficiency and scalable production, providing a new paradigm for sustainable electrocatalytic systems.