Enzymatic biofuel cells based on protective hydrophobic carbon paste electrodes: towards epidermal bioenergy harvesting in the acidic sweat environment

Abstract

The operation of wearable epidermal biofuel cells is prone to rapid irreversible deactivation effects under dynamic sweat pH changes from neutral to acidic. We demonstrate that the encapsulation of lactate-oxidase (LOx) within a hydrophobic protective carbon-paste anode imparts unusually high stability during dynamically changing pH fluctuations and allows the BFC to continue harvesting the lactate bioenergy even after long exposures to acidic conditions. The unique power-recovery ability of the carbon-paste BFC after its failure in harsh pH is attributed to the protective action of the non-polar paste environment.