Oxidants of nitric acid and acidic potassium dichromate were used to modify anode carbon cloths. Modification was completed by first putting the carbon cloth into nitric acid or acidic potassium dichromate at a given temperature

soaking for 30 min and then rinsing with de-ionized water until no variation in pH and finally putting into a vacuum dryer

drying for 12 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements indicated that many hydroxyls and carboxyls were attached on the carbon cloth surface after modification. SEM results showed that the surface of carbon cloth became rougher than the unmodified one. In addition

cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements demonstrated that both modified anodes had excellent electrochemical properties. Using the modified carbon cloths as microbial fuel cell (MFC) anodes respectively

such MFCs yielded maximum power densities of 291.11 mW·m-2 and 438.08 mW·m-2

21% and 82% higher than that of the MFC with unmodified carbon cloth anode respectively.