Miniature Direct Electron Transfer Based Enzymatic Fuel Cell Operating in Human Sweat and Saliva

Abstract

We present data on operation of a miniature membrane‐less, direct electron transfer based enzymatic fuel cell in human sweat and saliva. The enzymatic fuel cell was fabricated following our previous reports on miniature biofuel cells, utilizing gold nanoparticle modified gold microwires with immobilized cellobiose dehydrogenase and bilirubin oxidase. The following average characteristics of miniature glucose/oxygen biodevices operating in human sweat and saliva, respectively, were registered: 580 and 560 mV open‐circuit voltage, 0.26 and 0.1 μW cm–2 power density at a cell voltage of 0.5 V, with up to ten times higher power output at 0.2 V. When saliva collected after meal ingestion was used, roughly a two‐fold increase in power output was obtained, with a further two‐fold increase by addition of 500 μM glucose. Likewise, the power generated in sweat at 0.5 V increased two‐fold by addition of 500 μM glucose.

Modeling Carbon Nanotube Connectivity and Surface Activity in a Contact Lens Biofuel Cell

“…With origins in living systems, enzymatic catalysts operate well in physiological temperature and pH, which makes them an attractive option as a possible implantable power source [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Several examples of biofuel cells operating under such conditions have been reported, including some that operate in biological fluids [11][12][13][14][15]. The trends in power output and stability for biofuel cells are clearly positive, but operational stability remains a significant limitation.…”

Advanced Biowaste‐Based Flexible Photocatalytic Fuel Cell as a Green Wearable Power Generator

“…The polarization and power curves of the artificial sweat fPFC (Figure b) show that the device has an open circuit voltage of 0.9 V, a short circuit density of 17.3 mA cm −2 g −1 , and a maximum power density of 4.0 mW cm −2 g −1 . When compared to current enzymatic biofuel cells using artificial sweat as fuel, the fPFC can provide higher or comparable power densities . This performance is also accomplished without the use of buffer solutions, electrochemical mediators, or expensive and sensitive enzymes.…”

“…Therefore, photocatalysts are generally stable irrespective of their environment and do not need to be replaced. These properties provide fPFCs with a distinct advantage over renewable power generation technologies such as enzymatic and microbial fuel cells . Enzymatic fuel cells (EFCs) are a class of fuel cell that uses enzymes to oxidize fuel instead of electrocatalysts.…”

Wearable Biofuel Cells: A Review

“…Other groups have developed biofuel systems to generate electricity from sweat that can be easily integrated on wearable patches or fabrics. For example, Shleev’s group recently worked on developing a biofuel cell that can extract usable energy from glucose present in the human sweat 51. In this work the authors relied on first modifying gold microwires with gold nanoparticles and subsequently immobilized with cellobiose dehydrogenase and bilirubin oxidase to obtain glucose‐oxidizing bioanode and oxygen‐reducing biocathode, respectively.…”