Development of a membraneless ethanol/oxygen biofuel cell

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 51; no. 11; pp. 2168 - 2172
• Main Authors: Topcagic, Sabina, Minteer, Shelley D.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.02.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bilirubin oxidase; Biocathode; Biofuel cell; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Nafion; Ru(bpy) 32; Biocathode; Ru(bpy) 3 2; Biofuel cell; Bilirubin oxidase; Nafion; Performance evaluation; Polymeric membrane; Membrane electrode; Enzyme; Organic ligand; Alcohol fuel cells; Enzymatic catalysis; Ru(bpy)32; Transition metal Complexes; Alcohol dehydrogenase; Biochemical fuel cell; Energetic efficiency; Ruthenium Complexes; Platinoid Complexes; Oxidoreductases; Immobilized enzyme
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2005.03.090

Biofuel cells are similar to traditional fuel cells, except the metallic electrocatalyst is replaced with a biological electrocatalyst. This paper details the development of an enzymatic biofuel cell, which employs alcohol dehydrogenase to oxidize ethanol at the anode and bilirubin oxidase to reduce oxygen at the cathode. This ethanol/oxygen biofuel cell has an active lifetime of about 30 days and shows power densities of up to 0.46 mW/cm 2. The biocathode described in this paper is unique in that bilirubin oxidase is immobilized within a modified Nafion polymer that acts both to entrap and stabilize the enzyme, while also containing the redox mediator in concentrations large enough for self-exchange based conduction of electrons between the enzyme and the electrode. This biocathode is fuel tolerant, which leads to a unique fuel cell that employs both renewable catalysts and fuel, but does not require a separator membrane to separate anolyte from catholyte.