A glucose bio-battery prototype based on a GDH/poly(methylene blue) bioanode and a graphite cathode with an iodide/tri-iodide redox couple

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2012-07, Vol.116, p.502-506
• Main Authors: Wang, Jen-Yuan, Nien, Po-Chin, Chen, Chien-Hsiao, Chen, Lin-Chi, Ho, Kuo-Chuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioelectric Energy Sources; Biofuel cell; Biofuels - analysis; Calibration; Carbon - chemistry; Catalysis; Cathodes; Electrochemical Techniques; Electrodes; Glucose; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Glucose bio-battery; Graphite; Graphite - metabolism; Iodide/tri-iodide; Iodides; Iodides - metabolism; Joining; Methylene Blue - analogs & derivatives; Methylene Blue - metabolism; Multi-walled carbon nanotube; NAD - metabolism; NADH; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Oxidation-Reduction; Poly(methylene blue); Polymers - metabolism; Prototypes
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.03.083

► The glucose bio-battery consists of a graphite cathode (I-/I3-) and PMB bioanode. ► MWCNTs can improve the deposition amount of PMB and the electrooxidation of NADH. ► A glucose bio-battery with high fill factor (0.706) is achieved. ► The rate-limiting electrode for the bio-battery is identified as the bioanode. ► A maximum power density of 2.43μW/cm2 at 25°C is achieved. A glucose bio-battery prototype independent of oxygen is proposed based on a glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) bioanode and a graphite cathode with an iodide/tri-iodide redox couple. At the bioanode, a NADH electrocatalyst, poly(methylene blue) (PMB), which can be easily grown on the electrode (screen-printed carbon paste electrode, SPCE) by electrodeposition, is harnessed and engineered. We find that carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are capable of significantly increasing the deposition amount of PMB and thus enhancing the PMB’s electrocatalysis of NADH oxidation and the glucose bio-battery’s performance. The choice of the iodide/tri-iodide redox couple eliminates the dependence of oxygen for this bio-battery, thus enabling the bio-battery with a constant current-output feature similar to that of the solar cells. The present glucose bio-battery prototype can attain a maximum power density of 2.4μW/cm2 at 25°C.