Development of microfluidic glucose/oxygen biofuel cells

Author(s)

Gustavo Pio Marchesi Krall Ciniciato

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2013-02-04

Examining board members

Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez; Frank Nelson Crespilho; Debora Goncalves; Lauro Tatsuo Kubota

• Advisor: Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez

Abstract

The main objective of this thesis is to develop a microfluidic biofuel cell using glucose as the fuel and oxygen as the oxidant. The enzymes Glucose Oxidase or Glucose Dehydrogenase were used in a bioanode to promove the bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of glucose and the enzymes Laccase or Bilirubin Oxidase to promove the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of the molecular oxygen. The work was conducted by attempts to immobilize these enzymes in order to promote the mechanism of direct electron transfer with the electrode. For the situations where this was not observed, mediators were used in a way to promote the mechanism of mediated electron transfer. The best pair of bioelectrodes and mediatores was chosen to be applied in a biofuel cell. The work was carried out to adapt this par of developed bioelectrodes to a paper based microfluidic system, using both biocathode and bioanode in a paper-like design. As the conditions for concentration of fuel and cofactors were optimized for the bioanode, it was necessary to work on these biocathodes so as to have the characteristics of an air-breathing biocathode for a better use of the oxygen present in the air and to work with a performance as good as the bioanode. The paper based biofuel cell enabled the generation of electricity for up to 18 days using a resistance of 1.7 kΩ within the optimum experimental conditions. In order to prove the concept of this technology for real applications, the paper based biofuel cell was demonstrated to have the capacity for generation of enough electrical energy to power up a clock for at least 36 hours using the isotonic drink Gatored® as fuel. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/03414-2 - Development of a biofuel cell of glucose/oxygen: utilization of the technique of microfluidics
• Grantee: Gustavo Pio Marchesi Krall Ciniciato
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)