Nanobiocatalysts for biofuel cells

Recent advances in nanobiocatalysis are promising for the development of high performance biofuel cells. Glucose oxidase electrodes were prepared via formation of composites with various nanostructured carbon materials, e.g., carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, and nanoporous carbons. Significant enhancement on electrochemical reaction kinetics was observed on the composite-modified glassy carbon electrode. When these electrodes were applied in a model glucose/O ₂ biofuel cell, a power density of ≤ 960 μw/sq cm could be achieved. According to the quantitative analysis of the processes involved in the anode, the mass-transfer of mediator was the limiting factor to the power and current densities of biofuel cell. The power density could be greatly improved by the improvement of electron transfer and optimization of the electrode structure. This is an abstract of a paper presented in the ACS Fuel Chemistry Meeting Fall 2005 (Washington, DC Fall 2005).