A fully protected hydrogenase/polymer-based bioanode for high-performance hydrogen/glucose biofuel cells

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 3675 - 10
• Main Authors: Ruff, Adrian, Szczesny, Julian, Marković, Nikola, Conzuelo, Felipe, Zacarias, Sónia, Pereira, Inês A. C., Lubitz, Wolfgang, Schuhmann, Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 10.09.2018; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/638/161/893; 639/638/675; 639/638/77/603; Aspergillus niger - enzymology; Biochemical fuel cells; Biodiesel fuels; Bioelectric Energy Sources; Biofuels; Biomass; Carbon - chemistry; Catalysis; Catalysts; Deactivation; Electrodes; Fuels; Glucose; Glucose - chemistry; Glucose Oxidase - chemistry; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydrogen; Hydrogen - chemistry; Hydrogenase; Hydrogenase - chemistry; Iron; multidisciplinary; Multilayers; Nickel; Noble metals; Open circuit voltage; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen; Oxygen - chemistry; Polymers; Polymers - chemistry; Protection systems; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06106-3

Hydrogenases with Ni- and/or Fe-based active sites are highly active hydrogen oxidation catalysts with activities similar to those of noble metal catalysts. However, the activity is connected to a sensitivity towards high-potential deactivation and oxygen damage. Here we report a fully protected polymer multilayer/hydrogenase-based bioanode in which the sensitive hydrogen oxidation catalyst is protected from high-potential deactivation and from oxygen damage by using a polymer multilayer architecture. The active catalyst is embedded in a low-potential polymer (protection from high-potential deactivation) and covered with a polymer-supported bienzymatic oxygen removal system. In contrast to previously reported polymer-based protection systems, the proposed strategy fully decouples the hydrogenase reaction form the protection process. Incorporation of the bioanode into a hydrogen/glucose biofuel cell provides a benchmark open circuit voltage of 1.15 V and power densities of up to 530 µW cm −2 at 0.85 V. Hydrogenases are promising alternatives to noble metal-based catalysts for hydrogen oxidation. Here the authors fully protect air-sensitive hydrogenases from high potential and oxygen damage using a polymer multilayer bioanode in a biofuel cell that delivers a benchmark open circuit voltage.