New Materials for Biological Fuel Cells
Abstract
Over the last decade, there has been renewed interest in biological fuel cells; a subset of fuel cells, where the cathode and/or anode catalysts are biocatalysts. This biocatalyst could be a living cell (microbial fuel cells) or a subcellular biological component (enzymatic or mitochondrial biological fuel cells). The first biological fuel cells were microbial and employed microbes at the anode to catalyze the oxidation of fuel. Over the last century, the technology (frequently referred to as bio-electrochemical systems in the research community) has expanded to include microbial cathodes, with applications including wastewater treatment, underwater power, and the production of electrofuels. Enzymatic biological fuel cells were first introduced in the 1960s, where oxidoreductase enzymes were used with mediators to catalyze the oxidation of amino acids, alcohol, and glucose at the anode of a fuel cell. Continued development led to the use of enzymes at the cathode; where oxygen or peroxide is reduced to water in solution by an enzyme catalyst, or where oxygen is reduced directly in an air-breathing biocathode. The choice of subcellular biocatalyst has since expanded to include organelles; with mitochondria, for example, used at the anode of pyruvate/air biological fuel cells.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA559835
Entities
People
- Glenn R. Johnson
- Heather R. Luckarift
- Plamen Atanassov
- Shelley D. Minteer
Organizations
- University of Utah