Biocompatible Micellar Environment for Enzyme Encapsulation for Bioelectrocatalysis Applications

Abstract

Chitosan, a biopolymer extracted from chitin, was deacetylated by treatment with 45% NaOH followed by autoclaving at 121 °C for a period of 20 minutes. The deacetylated chitosan was then hydrophobically modified via reductive amination with sodium cyanoborohydride and butanal. Glucose dehydrogenase was then co-cast with each polymer on glassy carbon rotating disk electrodes and analysis of mass transfer was executed. Amperometric concentration studies were also carried out to determine catalytic activity of the glucose dehydrogenase enzyme system. The diffusion coefficient governing transport through the air dried film was measured to be 1.42×10 -7 cm 2 /s and 1.08×10 -7 cm 2 /s for butyl modified chitosan and butyl modified deacetylated chitosan, respectively.

Nanomaterials for bio-functionalized electrodes: recent trends

“…These polymers have shown the ability to immobilize and stabilize enzymes at biofunctional electrodes in applications including biosensors and biofuel cells. 380,391,410,436,437 One additional advantage of all of these micellar polymers is that the hydrophobic regions help improve the dispersion of carbon nanomaterials, 438 which is benecial for fabrication of composite biofunctional electrodes as discussed in the following section.…”

Deconvoluting Charge Transfer Mechanisms in Conducting Redox Polymer-Based Photobioelectrocatalytic Systems

“…33 The D values at the modified electrode surfaces are typically quantified using a diffusible analyte, 34,35 or a specific standard redox mediator. 36,37 If the electroactive species is surface-immobilized, such as the PDHA electrodes, Fick's law is applied to the electrolytically generated concentration gradient of the donor (electron) and acceptor (hole) sites during "diffusion-like" electron transfer by the respective redox reaction across the polymer. 31,38,39 This interpretation of the apparent electron diffusion coefficient (D app ) necessitates that the rate-limiting step during the overall mechanism is charge transfer through the polymer or polymer-catalyst film, and not an auxiliary process.…”