Power Harvesting from Human Serum in Buckypaper-Based Enzymatic Biofuel Cell

Abstract

The requirement for a miniature, high density, long life, rechargeable power source is common to a vast majority of microsystems, including the implantable devices for medical applications. A model biofuel cell system operating in human serum has been studied for future applications of biomedical and implantable medical devices. Anodic and cathodic electrodes were made of carbon nanotube –buckypaper modified with PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase and laccase, respectively. Modified electrodes were characterized electrochemically and assembled in a biofuel cell set-up. Power density of 16.12 μW/cm2 was achieved in human serum for lower than physiological glucose concentrations. Increasing the glucose concentration and biofuel cell temperature caused an increase on power output leading up to 49.16 μW/cm2.