Patent Application
20140322617
This patent document relates to fuel cell technologies.
A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy from a substance (e.g., referred to as a fuel) into electrical energy (e.g., electricity). Generally, the energy conversion includes a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. For example, hydrogen is among a common fuel, and hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols can also be used in fuel cells. For example, fuel cells differ from batteries in that they require a constant source of fuel and oxygen to operate, but can produce electricity continually provided the fuel and oxygen inputs are supplied to the fuel cell.
Devices, systems, and techniques are disclosed for fabricating and implementing printed biofuel cells to extract energy from a biofuel.
In one aspect of the disclosed technology, a biofuel cell device includes a substrate, an anode formed on the substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of a fuel substance in a biological fluid to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance, a cathode configured on the substrate adjacent to the anode and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and capable of reducing an oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons, and a load configured as one or more electrical circuit elements electrically coupled between the anode and the cathode via electrical interconnects to obtain the extracted energy as electrical energy.
Implementations of the biofuel cell device can optionally include one or more of the following features. For example, in some implementations, the biofuel cell device can further include an electrically conductive underlayer, e.g., formed of an electrically conductive material such as silver or copper, on the substrate and underneath the anode and cathode, respectively, e.g., in which the electrically conductive underlayer is structured as separated structures corresponding to the anode and cathode and electrically coupled to the load. In some implementations, the substrate of the biofuel cell device can be configured as an electrically insulative and flexible material. For example, the substrate can include a textile material. In some implementations, the biofuel cell device can further include a container on the substrate structured to contain the biological fluid in a region surrounding the anode and the cathode. In some implementations, the anode of the biofuel cell device can further include an electroactive mediator to facilitate electron transfer between an active site of the catalyst and the surface of the anode. In some implementations, the electrically conductive material of the anode can be configured of a carbon-based ink material. For example, the anode can be over-oxidized to form carbon-oxygen functional groups and edge-plane sites. In some implementations, the anode can further include carbon nanotubes, e.g., which can form the electrically conductive material of the anode and/or be configured on the surface of the anode. In some implementations, the anode can include a freely-diffusing electroactive redox mediator (e.g., attached to the surface of the anode) to interface an active site of the enzyme with the surface of the anode. In some implementations, the electrically conductive material of the cathode can be configured of a noble metal catalyst (e.g., such as platinum or palladium). In some implementations, the electrically conductive material of the cathode can be configured of a carbon-based ink material. For example, the carbon-based ink cathode can also include the noble metal catalyst as part of the cathode material. In some examples, the noble metal catalyst can be dispersed in the carbon-based ink material of the cathode. Also, in some examples, the noble metal catalyst can be configured on the surface of the cathode. For example, the cathode can be over-oxidized to form carbon-oxygen functional groups and edge-plane sites. In some implementations, the cathode can include carbon nanotubes, e.g., which can form the electrically conductive material of the cathode and/or be configured on the surface of the cathode. In some implementations, the cathode can further include an enzyme to facilitate the reduction of the oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to form the second product. For example, the enzyme can include, but is not limited to, laccase, bilirubin oxidase, tyrosinase, or polyphenol oxidase. In some implementations, the enzyme can be encased in a porous scaffold structure formed of the conducting polymer on the surface of the cathode, e.g., in which the conducting polymer includes, but is not limited to, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(p-phenylene sulfide), polyfluorine, polyphenylene, polypyrene, polyazulene, polynaphthalene, poly(acetylene), poly(p-phenylene vinylene), or polyphenyldiamine. In some implementations, the enzyme can be entrapped in a permeable-selective membrane coupled to the surface of the cathode. In some implementations, the enzyme can be electrostatically bound to the surface of the cathode. In some implementations, the cathode can include a freely-diffusing electroactive redox mediator (e.g., attached to the surface of the cathode) to interface an active site of the enzyme with the surface of the cathode.
In another aspect, a biofuel cell device includes a substrate of an electrically insulative material, an anode formed on the substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of a fuel substance in a biological fluid to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance, a cathode configured on the substrate adjacent to the anode and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and including an electroactive mediator capable of reducing a non-oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons, and a load configured of one or more electrical circuit elements electrically coupled between the anode and the cathode via electrical interconnects to obtain the extracted energy as electrical energy.
In another aspect, a biofuel cell system includes a biofuel cell module and a power storage module. The biofuel cell module includes a container structured to include an opening on a top surface and a hollowed interior to contain a fluid (e.g., a biological fluid, such as urine, perspiration, saliva, among others) including a fuel substance (e.g., such as glucose, alcohol, lactic acid, urea, uric acid, ascorbic acid, among others); an array of biofuel cells formed on a flexible substrate and contained in the container, in which a biofuel cell of the array includes: an anode formed on the flexible substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of the fuel substance to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance, a cathode positioned adjacent to the anode on the flexible substrate and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and capable of reducing an oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons, and electrical interconnects connecting the anode and the cathode to an anode electrode contact pad and a cathode electrode contact pad, respectively; and a first electrical interface and a second electrical interface in electrical connection with the anode electrode contact pad and the cathode electrode contact pad, respectively. The power storage module includes a housing including a releasable attachment component to attach to and detach from the biofuel cell module, in which the attachment component seals the opening when attached; an electrical storage unit contained within the housing and configured of one or more electrical circuit elements electrically coupled to the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface when the attachment component is attached to the power storage module, in which the electrical storage unit is configured to store the extracted energy as electrical energy; and an electrical outlet configured on an outer surface of the power storage module and electrically coupled to the electrical storage unit, in which the electrical outlet is structured to electrically interface with a device to provide power to the device.
In another aspect, a method to fabricate a biofuel cell includes depositing an electrically conductive ink on a substrate to form an anode electrode and a cathode electrode adjacent to and separated from one another, the depositing including printing the ink on a stencil placed over the substrate, the stencil including a patterned region configured in a design of the anode and the cathode to allow transfer of the ink on the substrate, and the stencil inhibiting transfer of the ink in areas outside the patterned region; and the method includes curing the electrically conductive ink to produce a biofuel cell device.
Implementations of the fabrication method can optionally include one or more of the following features. For example, the curing can include at least one of applying heat or ultraviolet radiation to the deposited ink on the substrate. For example, the ink can be a carbon-based ink including noble metal nanoparticles dispersed in the ink, e.g., in which the carbon-based ink includes an enzymatic catalyst dispersed in the ink. For example, the substrate can be of an electrically insulative and flexible material, e.g., such as a textile material. In some implementations, the method can further include forming an electrically conductive layer under the anode electrode and cathode electrode by printing an ink of an electrically conductive material on a first stencil placed over the substrate, the first stencil including a printing region configured in a first design of conduit wires connecting to each of the anode and the cathode, the printing region allowing transfer of the ink on the substrate, and the first stencil inhibiting transfer of the ink in areas outside the printing region; and the method can further include curing the electrically conductive ink to produce a biofuel cell device. In some implementations, the method can further include: depositing an electrically insulative ink on the substrate to form an insulative layer that exposes the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the depositing including printing the electrically insulative ink on a second stencil placed over the substrate, the second stencil including a printing region configured in a second design to allow transfer of the ink on the substrate, the second stencil inhibiting transfer of the ink in areas outside the printing region; and the method can further include curing the electrically insulative ink. In some implementations, the method can further include depositing carbon nanotubes to the surface of at least one of the anode electrode or the cathode electrode. In some implementations, the method can further include depositing an enzyme catalyst to the surface of at least one of the anode electrode or the cathode electrode, in which the depositing includes performing at least one of: encasing the enzyme catalyst in a porous scaffold structure formed of a conducting polymer on the surface of the electrode; covalently binding the enzyme catalyst to the surface of the electrode; entrapping the enzyme catalyst in a selectively permeable membrane coupled to the surface of the electrode; or electrostatically binding the enzyme catalyst to the surface of the electrode. In some implementations, the method can further include depositing an electroactive redox mediator to the surface of at least one of the anode electrode or the cathode electrode, in which the electroactive redox mediator facilitates the transfer of electrons between the electrode and the active site of the enzyme catalyst.
In another aspect, an epidermal biofuel cell device includes a substrate formed of a flexible electrically insulative material structured to adhere to the skin of a user, an anode formed on the substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of a fuel substance in a biological fluid to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance, a cathode configured on the substrate adjacent to the anode and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and capable of reducing an oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons, and an anode electrode interface component and a cathode electrode interface component formed on the substrate and electrically coupled to the anode and the cathode, respectively, via electrical interconnects, in which the extracted energy is addressable as electrical energy at the anode electrode interface component and the cathode electrode interface component.
In another aspect, a method to fabricate an epidermal biofuel cell device includes depositing an electrically conductive ink on an electrically insulative paper substrate to form an anode electrode and a cathode electrode adjacent to and separated from one another and conduit wires connecting to each of the anode and the cathode, the depositing including printing the ink on a first stencil placed over the paper substrate, the first stencil including a patterned region configured in a design of the anode, cathode, and conduit wires to allow transfer of the ink on the paper substrate, and the first stencil inhibiting transfer of the ink in areas outside the patterned region; curing the electrically conductive ink; depositing an electrically insulative ink on the paper substrate to form an insulative layer that exposes the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the depositing including printing the electrically insulative ink on a second stencil placed over the paper substrate, the second stencil including a printing region configured in a second design to allow transfer of the ink on the paper substrate, the second stencil inhibiting transfer of the ink in areas outside the printing region; curing the electrically insulative ink; and depositing an adhesive layer on the insulative layer that exposes the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, the adhesive substrate formed of a flexible electrically insulative material structured to adhere to the skin of a user, in which the paper substrate includes an upper layer and a base paper layer, the upper layer including a release agent coated on the base paper layer and structured to peel off to remove the paper substrate.
The subject matter described in this patent document can be implemented in specific ways that provide one or more of the following features applicable to a variety of industries, e.g., including, but not limited to, biomedical, healthcare, fitness/athletics and energy industries. For example, implementation of the exemplary printed biofuel cells can lower the cost of healthcare and alleviate the burden on the healthcare provider. Exemplary devices can include biofuel cells that provide low-cost, paper-thin power sources that can sustain implantable/body-worn medical devices, such as bionic implants and bioelectronics. The disclosed technology includes fabrication methods to produce the robust, high-power output, and inexpensive biofuel cells capable of processing a wide variety of biofuels. For example, the disclosed biofuel cell devices are capable of energy extraction from various biofuels that can include glucose and alcohol (in whole blood), lactate (in perspiration), and uric acid and urea (in urine). Additionally, the disclosed biofuel cell devices can also be implemented as remote power systems that can significantly lower the costs involved with energy generation. For example, the remote power systems can be used to generate and/or co-generate power in decentralized locations, e.g., such as developing areas that lack access to conventional (refined) fuels. Additionally, the disclosed biofuel cell devices can also be implemented in wastewater treatment, implantable biomedical devices, fitness, and combat domains, e.g., due to its ability to process a wide array of widely-available fuels, thus serving as a core component of emerging renewable energy technologies.
The above and other aspects and implementations of the disclosed technology are described in greater detail in the drawings, the description and the claims.
Like reference symbols and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Conventional fuel cell technologies generally include large solid-state devices that employ costly mechanical and chemical components. For example, some existing fuel cell devices can generate power from inorganic fuels, but many of these devices produce substantial carbon footprints when processed and refined. Also, due to the size and expense associated with existing fuel cell devices, there has not been a widespread commercial adoption since their introduction and the technology has been limited to particular applications, e.g., such as in the Space Shuttle program and automotive applications.
Biofuel cells are a class of fuel cell devices that employ enzymes or microbes as a bioprocessing contingent to derive power from various fuel substances such as organic, biochemical, and/or biological compounds which can be found in a variety of biological mediums. Biofuel cells can offer promise for the generation of energy from renewable fuel sources. Some existing devices to generate energy from renewable fuel sources have traditionally been plagued by poor power densities, limited lifetimes, and the inability to scale the technology to address any practical commercial needs, e.g., confining them to the research domain. Particular requirements need to be met to be practically applicable in a wide variety of applications, e.g., which can include high power density, power efficiency, long-term operation, miniaturization, low weight, and cost-parity with competing power generation systems, etc. For example, other field-deployable and mobile power technologies including batteries and photovoltaic devices can address several of these challenges, albeit they still cannot match the energy density (e.g., in the case of both batteries and photovoltaics), operational lifetime, or light weight (e.g., in the case of batteries) offered by biofuel cell devices. Also, batteries are merely energy storage devices rather than energy generation systems, and once the stored charge is depleted (e.g., which can be within several hours), the battery becomes a useless encumbrance. On the other hand, photovoltaics produce very little power (when used for mobile embodiments) and can only generate power during daylight hours, hence severely inhibiting their practical utility in field-deployable applications.
The disclosed technology includes devices, systems and methods of production of printed biofuel cells.
For example, the disclosed biofuel cells can enable the realization of conformal and paper-thin power sources that can provide continual power to portable electronic devices and implantable/body-worn biomedical devices. The disclosed technology includes biofuel cell devices capable of direct electron transfer from selected biocatalysts and high-throughput thick-film fabrication processes to produce the printed biofuel cells. The disclosed technology includes a biofuel cell architecture that can be used to derive useful amounts of power from unprocessed and renewable biological/organic fuel sources including, e.g., blood, urine, sweat, saliva, lacrimal fluid, sewage, and other wastewater sources. For example, the disclosed biofuel cell devices can be printed on lightweight plastic substrates rather than mechanically assembled using sophisticated, heavy, and expensive electrochemical components. The disclosed biofuel cell devices can include biocatalysts as part of the electrode heterostructure that obviate the need for precious metal catalysts, e.g., which can further reduce costs.
In one aspect of the disclosed technology, a biofuel cell device includes a substrate, an anode formed on the substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of a fuel substance in a biological electrolytic fluid to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance, a cathode configured on the substrate adjacent to the anode and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and capable of reducing an oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons, and a load (e.g., which can be configured as one or more electrical circuit elements) in electrical connection between the anode and the cathode via electrical interconnects to obtain the extracted energy as electrical energy. For example, the biological fluid can include, but is not limited to, perspiration, blood, urine, lacrimal fluid, or saliva. The fuel substance can include, but is not limited to, glucose, alcohol, lactic acid, urea, uric acid, or ascorbic acid. For example, the catalyst can include, but is not limited to, glucose oxidase, lactate oxidase, urate oxidase, or ascorbate oxidase. In some implementations of the biofuel cell device, the catalyst can be dispersed within the material forming the anode and/or coated as a layer on the surface of the anode. Additionally or alternatively, the catalyst can be entrapped within an electrically conductive polymeric structure formed by electropolymerization process on the surface of the anode. Additionally or alternatively, the catalyst can be covalently bound to the surface of the anode. Additionally or alternatively, the catalyst can be entrapped in a permeable-selective membrane coupled to the surface of the anode. Additionally or alternatively, the catalyst can be electrostatically bound to the surface of the anode.
In this example, the biofuel cell 110 is shown to be exposed to urine deposited over the active surface of the device. Urine includes the biofuel substance urate, also known as uric acid. The enzyme urate oxidase can catalyze the conversation of urate to 5-hydroxy uric acid (5-HUA) in an oxidation process that results in urate losing electrons, which are received at the UOx/CNT-functionalized anode 112. The TYR-functionalized cathode 113 can reduce an oxygenated substance, e.g., such as oxygen (O2), present in the urine that results in the oxygenated substance gaining electrons in a reduction process. For example, if the medium is an aqueous medium, such as urine, the reduction will result in the formation of water, as protons (H+) will flow across the solution, e.g., from the anode to the cathode. The biofuel cell 110 includes the load 105 via the interconnects 104, which can be externally interfaced to the electrodes on the substrate 111. The electrical connection of the load 105 between the UOx/CNT-functionalized anode 112 and the functionalized cathode 113 can facilitate an electrical current generated by the captured electrons from the catalytic conversion of urate to 5-HUA at the anode 112 when the cathode 113 is at a higher electrical potential. Electroactive mediators (MOX/MRED) can be attached to the functionalized cathode 113 to be deployed in the urine to electrochemically excite the active site of the enzyme TYR to enhance the reduction of the oxygen-containing substance from electrons that arrive at the cathode 113. Examples of the MOX/MRED can include methylene blue (MB), methylene green (MG), tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), Prussian blue, and Meldola's blue.
In another aspect, the disclosed technology includes methods to fabricate the exemplary biofuel cell devices that include printing techniques and chemical functionalization of electrically conductive inks on a wide variety of rigid and flexible substrates for power generation. For example, the fabrication techniques can utilize high-throughput and low cost screen-printing, roll-to-roll processing, aerosol deposition, and inkjet techniques to produce printed biofuel cells. For example, an exemplary method of the disclosed technology involves the printing of specialized inks to form the anode and the cathode on the substrate, with the anode containing a catalyst (e.g., such as an enzyme or other protein) to catalyze the conversion of an organic/biological fuel substance in an electrolyte to a product in an oxidative process, thereby releasing electrons and generating an electrical current that can be employed to drive the load (e.g., of one or more electrical circuit elements), and with the cathode receiving electrons to reduce a reductant substance. In some implementations, the exemplary method can include functionalizing the cathode to include an enzyme (or other protein) catalyst. For example, the electrolyte can be an unprocessed biological/organic matrix (e.g., as blood, perspiration, lacrimal fluid, saliva, or urine) to mitigate the transport of protons from the anode to the cathode. The exemplary method can include printing the anode and cathode on any rigid substrate, e.g., such as a solid-state material, or any flexible substrate, e.g., including alumina, paper, mylar, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)), and various textiles/fabrics, among others. For example, the flexible substrates can be pre-conditioned through repeated mechanical deformation operations (e.g., flexing, bending, stretching, etc.) to give rise to micro-cracks in the anode and cathode morphology. These microcracks can increase the electrode surface area, thereby yielding greater power output. Moreover, the fabrication methodology can be scaled to create large electrode arrays and parallel stacks of fuel cells, thereby increasing the amount of power generated.
The method includes a process 230 to screen print an electrode layer of an electrically conductive material to form the anode and the cathode contingents on the substrate. For example, the screen printing of the electrode layer can include using a woven mesh to support a ink-blocking stencil, e.g., which can be configured in a desired shape or design to form the anode and cathode electrodes, to transfer the carbon-based ink or other printable electrically conductive materials to print the electrodes onto the screen printed underlayer. In some implementations, the method can begin with the process 230 to screen print the electrode layer directly onto the substrate material and forgo the processes 210 and 220. For example, the process 230 can be implemented to produce the anode and cathode electrodes in a single printing step. The method includes a process 240 to cure the screen printed electrode layer on the substrate, e.g., by thermally curing or UV curing techniques. In some implementations, the ink or other material used to screen print the electrode layer in the process 230 can include the catalyst material dispersed within the ink or other electrically conductive material. In some implementations, the process 230 can include using multiple stencils to screen print the anode and cathode electrodes separately or to form multiple layers of an anode and/or a cathode electrode heterostructure.
The method includes a process 250 to screen print an insulator layer of an electrically insulative material over the interconnects structures of the underlayer on the substrate. For example, the screen printing of the insulator layer can include using a woven mesh to support an electrically insulative material-blocking stencil, e.g., in which the stencil can be configured in a desired shape or design to form a region covering interconnects and other structures while exposing the anode and cathode electrodes. The method includes a process 260 to cure the screen printed insulator layer on the substrate, e.g., by thermally curing or UV curing techniques. In some implementations, the method can conclude with the process 240 to cure the electrode layer directly onto the substrate material and forgo the processes 250 and 260. Also, it is understood that the method can be implemented using roll-to-roll printing or processing, aerosol deposition, or inkjet printing techniques in the processes 210, 230, and/or 250.
For example, the components of the exemplary biofuel cell (e.g., including the anode and the cathode) can be printed using a specially-formulated ink composition. For example, porous carbon (PC) can be used to immobilize nanoparticles, e.g., such as platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), to form carbon-based ink electrodes with increased surface area that facilitate high current densities and efficient mass transport of diffusional redox species. This exemplary metallized PC couples the attractive features of porous carbon with efficient electrocatalyic ability of three-dimensionally dispersed metal particles. For example, the metallized PC electrodes contain engineered micron-scale structures spanning seven orders of magnitude with defect-free highly controllable 3-D lattices and periodicity uniformly, e.g., which has been shown in samples in excess of 2 cm a side. In some implementations, an electrically conductive underlayer (e.g., such as silver or copper) can be printed on the substrate and cured at a suitable temperature. The electrically conductive underlayer can be printed to form separated structures corresponding to the placement of the anode and cathode. Subsequently, the cathode material is printed on the conductive underlayer structure(s) corresponding to the cathode. For example, the cathode material can include a metallic catalyst material such as a noble metal dispersed within the conductive carbon-based ink. The anode material is printed on the conductive underlayer structure(s) corresponding to the anode. For example, the anode material can include an electrically conductive material such as the carbon-based ink in which the enzyme catalyst is configured within the anode material or on the surface of the anode material.
In some implementations, the enzyme catalyst can either be embedded in the ink itself or electropolymerized in a second processing step using any one of a number of conducting polymers, e.g., such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(p-phenylene sulfide), polyfluorine, polyphenylene, polypyrene, polyazulene, polynaphthalene, poly(acetylene), poly(p-phenylene vinylene, and polyphenyldiamine, among others. For example, to encase the enzyme catalyst in the conducting polymer using electropolymerization, the method can include the application of a suitable deposition potential on the appropriate electrode while the device is immersed in a solution of the selected monomer. For example, the enzyme catalyst can be entrapped in a matrix of the conducting polymer. The conducting polymer entrapment can offer the ability to achieve a highly mesoporous network in which the biocatalyst may be immobilized while substantially increasing the effective active area of the electrode surface, e.g., thus giving rise to increased current densities. The conducting polymer can be synthesized upon the application of a suitable oxidation potential to the printed electrode, causing the monomer to electropolymerize onto the cathode surface from a base solution. A charged dopant can be implemented in the base solution to impart conductivity. For example, in order to properly immobilize and achieve fine dispersion of the enzyme within the conducting polymer matrix, a co-electrochemical deposition process can be implemented whereby the conducting polymer host can uptake the enzyme during the electropolymerization routine. For example, this can result in the uptake and dispersion of the enzyme in the polymer matrix from the base solution. For example, multi-walled CNTs can be employed at this step to provide a cross-linked network of conductive pathways to further facilitate electron transfer. For example, nickel or noble metal nanoparticles may also be added to the matrix to impart greater electrocatalytic surface area.
In other implementations, the enzyme catalyst can also be immobilized on the anode and/or the cathode electrode surface via other mechanisms, including covalent binding, electrostatic entrapment, or entrapment in a permeable-selective membrane, e.g., such as Nafion or chitosan. For example, the anode and/or cathode electrode can be structured to include a material having an opposite charge than that of the catalyst, e.g., which can be attached to the surface of the electrode, to electrostatically bind the catalyst to the anode and/or cathode. For example, the enzyme catalyst can be deposited on the surface of the anode and/or cathode and a selectively permeable membrane can be subsequently disposed over the enzyme catalyst-deposited electrode surface to entrap the catalyst in the membrane to the electrode.
The disclosed fabrication techniques include the ability to effectively immobilize the enzyme catalyst for extended durations while still maintaining its catalytic activity. For example, a biofuel cell device can be fabricated to include a nano-structured anode heterostructure capable of oxidizing a biofuel in a fluid medium (e.g., such as glucose in a blood). The exemplary fabrication technique can include the immobilization of the enzyme catalyst (e.g., such as glucose oxidase) on the anode electrode surface. In one example, in order to facilitate electron transfer for optimal power generation, the covalent binding of the biocatalytic layer to the electrode surface can be implemented. For example, more specifically, this can entail the chemical treatment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes to express abundant carboxyl (COOH) groups along its surface. Subsequently, the COOH-functionalized nanotubes may then be immersed in a specific molar-ratio mixture of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDAC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) to couple the enzyme catalyst (e.g., glucose oxidase) to the nanotube via direct amine binding, e.g., thus forming a strong, covalent tether and conducting backbone used to transport the electron from the active site of the enzyme to the electrode (and hence to the load). The enzyme catalyst is immobilized and remains tethered to the electrode surface, hence providing for augmented power density, e.g., in comparison with conventional drop-casting, cross-linking, or polymer entrapment techniques. Alternatively, in another example, a perm-selective membrane can be cast on the anode electrode surface to entrap the enzyme catalyst while permitting the fuel to diffuse through the matrix. Alternatively, in another example, the enzyme catalyst can be entrapped in a conducting polymer matrix in order to augment the surface area of the electrode and facilitate biocatalytic conversion of a biochemical substrate. Alternatively, in another example, the enzyme catalyst can be electrostatically bound to the electrode surface using an oppositely-charged interfacial agent, such as polyethyleneimine. Alternatively, in another example, the active site of the enzyme catalyst can be interfaced with the electrode using a freely-diffusing electrochemical redox mediator, e.g., such as MG, MB, TTF, etc.
In some implementations, the cathode can further include the noble metal catalyst electrodeposited on the unmodified electrode surface. For example, to electrodeposit the noble metal catalyst on the cathode surface, the method can further include a process to immerse the printed biofuel cell in a solution of the selected noble metal and apply a suitable deposition potential on the cathode electrode while the device is immersed.
In some implementations, the cathode can further include an enzymatic catalyst to facilitate a reduction process by which an oxygenated substance gains electrons to form a product. The method can include a process to add an enzyme catalyst on the cathode. For example, the enzyme catalyst can include, but is not limited to, laccase, bilirubin oxidase, tyrosinase, or polyphenol oxidase. In some examples, the method can include depositing the exemplary enzymatic catalyst and/or noble metal catalyst subsequent to fabricating the anode and cathode on the substrate, and as such, both the anode and cathode can be printed during the same printing step of the method. In some implementations, the method can include a process to print a proton-exchange membrane separator employed in the spacing region 109 that can function to inhibit the conduction of electrons through the electrolytic medium during operation of an exemplary biofuel cell of the disclosed technology.
In some embodiments of the disclosed technology, the exemplary printed biofuel cells can be implemented in a biofuel cell system. In one exemplary embodiment, a biofuel cell system includes a biofuel cell module and a power storage module. The biofuel cell module can include a container structured to include an opening on a top surface and a hollowed interior to contain a fluid (e.g., a biological fluid, such as urine, perspiration, saliva, among others) including a fuel substance (e.g., such as glucose, alcohol, lactic acid, urea, uric acid, ascorbic acid, among others). The biofuel cell module can include an array of biofuel cells formed on a flexible substrate and contained in the container, in which a biofuel cell of the array includes: an anode formed on the flexible substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of the fuel substance to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance; a cathode positioned adjacent to the anode on the flexible substrate and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and capable of reducing an oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons; and electrical interconnects connecting the anode and the cathode to an anode electrode contact pad and a cathode electrode contact pad, respectively. The biofuel cell module can include a first electrical interface and a second electrical interface in electrical connection with the anode electrode contact pad and the cathode electrode contact pad, respectively. The power storage module can include a housing including a releasable attachment component to attach to and detach from the biofuel cell module, in which the attachment component seals the opening when attached. The power storage module can include an electrical storage unit contained within the housing and configured of one or more electrical circuit elements electrically coupled to the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface when the attachment component is attached to the power storage module, in which the electrical storage unit is configured to store the extracted energy as electrical energy. The power storage module can include an electrical outlet configured on an outer surface of the power storage module and electrically coupled to the electrical storage unit, in which the electrical outlet is structured to electrically interface with a device to provide power to the device.
The described biofuel cell devices, systems, and fabrication processes can present many advantages and distinguishing features. For example, there is no requirement to modify the cathode with an enzyme (e.g., such as laccase or billirubin oxidase). Rather, one can use screen-printed ink functionalized with noble metal catalyst nanoparticles or simply electroplate the cathode with the noble metal (e.g., such as palladium or platinum). This can entail that the cathode is not limited by the catalytic ability of an enzyme, which can be substantially less prolific than inorganic catalysts. Also, for example, the anode and cathode can be printed side-by-side rather than on top of one another since an interstitial separator is not required between the anode and cathode. This can substantially reduce the number of processing steps and expense associated with fabrication and materials. More specifically, for example, the anode and cathode active geometry can be patterned in a single processing step. In another example, a greater variety of fuels using other enzymes can be processed. For example, one can process lactic acid (such as found in the blood or perspiration) through the incorporation of lactate oxidase in the anode. Similarly, uric acid (such as found in the urine) can be employed as a fuel via urate oxidase. In another example using the exemplary biofuel cell device, one can entrap the enzyme on the anode using conducting polymers, which provide a porous, conducting scaffold to immobilize the enzyme used and shuttle the electrons it yields to the anode. This exemplary technique can substantially increase the functional surface area of the electrode (e.g., greater catalytic area, hence providing greater power output) as well as provides a facile means for electron transport.
Some examples to further improve power input and efficiency of the disclosed biofuel cell devices can include the following. One exemplary technique to improve power input and efficiency can include using interdigitated electrodes that can achieve high active surface area. Another exemplary technique to improve power input and efficiency can include placing the anode and cathode in close proximity to facilitate efficient H+ transfer, e.g., due to minimized diffusion length. Another exemplary technique to improve power input and efficiency can include modifying electrodes with nanomaterials (e.g., nanoparticle catalysts, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), etc.) to achieve direct electron transfer from enzyme's active site to the electrode, e.g., rather than using a mediator.
Implementations of the disclosed biofuel cell technology can have wide-ranging implications in the healthcare and power generation domains. For example, exemplary biofuel cell devices can be implemented as conformal and paper-thin power sources that can sustain implantable and body-worn medical devices and sensors, which can ultimately lower the cost of healthcare and alleviate the burden on the healthcare provider. Moreover, such devices can also contribute to novel remote power systems that can significantly lower the costs associated with energy generation, e.g., in decentralized locations and developing areas that lack access to conventional fuels. For example, another advantage includes the ability to extract energy from raw human waste and byproducts, which represents a globally beneficial direction in energy generation in almost any locale, e.g., including extremely remote locations. Wastewater/sewage constituents, e.g., such as urea, can be processed as biofuels, thereby offering a means to generate useful levels of power from otherwise useless waste sources with zero emissions.
The disclosed biofuel cell devices and systems are especially well-suited to meet the requirements of field-deployable power generation. For example, using thick-film and roll-to-roll fabrication methodologies, very high power-to-weight ratios are achieved, making the exemplary biofuel cells extremely appealing for body-worn applications. For example, through the utilization of self-healing, cross-linked printed electrodes on flexible substrates, extremely robust and durable biofuel cell devices have been demonstrated that can handle the rigors of field deployment. Moreover, unlike conventional fuel cells which must function at high temperatures to operate efficiently, the exemplary biofuel cells are amenable to operation at ambient temperatures, thus minimizing thermal signatures. Due to its direct-conversion architecture, the exemplary biofuel cells are devoid of moving parts, hence underscoring its durability and zero acoustic footprint, which, along with its lack of a heat signature, can help conceal its presence. Additionally, for example, the exemplary biofuel cells are comprised of biocompatible materials and are completely recyclable, unlike conventional fuel cell devices as well as most batteries and photovoltaic systems.
Exemplary implementations of the fabrication techniques to produce the biofuel cells have demonstrate the capability of mass production. For example, the entrapment of biocatalysts on the anode and/or cathode electrodes and the ability to fabricate these electrodes using high-throughput, low-cost printing paradigms are described. For example, a direct conversion architecture of a biocatalyst-electrode heterostructure can include conducting polymer nanotechnology in order to achieve power densities approaching that of conventional fuel cells. Moreover, the exemplary high-efficiency bioelectronic conversion architecture can obviate the need to incorporate precious metal catalysts (e.g., such as platinum) in the electrode matrix, thereby leading to further cost reduction. The exemplary printed biofuel cell platform represents a scalable fuel cell technology. For example, at least a two-order-of-magnitude cost-reduction can be achieved by implementing the described fabrication techniques of the disclosed biofuel cells, e.g., as compared with existing fuel cells, which can reach price parity with existing battery technologies. For example, implementations of the disclosed technology can effectively bridge the gap between high-performance fuel cells currently employed in exotic applications and requirements for low-cost commercially-viable devices. For example, the disclosed biofuel cells can be compatible with volume-manufacturing techniques.
In another aspect, the disclosed technology includes a wearable epidermal biofuel cell device to provide continuous power generation while worn on a human or other user. In some implementations, the exemplary wearable biofuel cell device can be applied to the wearer's epidermis as a temporary-transfer tattoo and is able to scavenge an ample supply of the biofuel L-lactic acid found in the wearer's perspiration in order to generate power. In this exemplary device, the electrodes of the wearable epidermal biofuel cell can be functionalized with lactate oxidase and platinum black within the anode and cathode, respectively, to achieve the power generating operation. Exemplary implementations of the exemplary wearable epidermal biofuel cell were performed to demonstrate the application of various forms of mechanical deformation relevant to practical epidermal applications, which resulted in minimal effects on the performance of the device. For example, an exemplary implementation of the epidermal tattoo biofuel cell device during a controlled fitness routine revealed a maximum power density of 68 μW cm−2 was obtained, hence realizing power production from human perspiration. The epidermal bioenergy paradigm thus holds noteworthy potential for use in the fitness, sport, athletics, performance, and generalized healthcare monitoring domains.
As the cost of personal health monitoring continues to rise, the fitness and healthcare industries have become increasingly reliant on wearable sensors to quantify various physiological metrics in a non-intrusive, user-friendly, and cost-effective fashion to reduce such costs. For example, for epidermal biosensing applications, durability, light-weight, and intimate skin conformance are core requirements of such sensor devices to assess vital signs, e.g., such as heart rate, respiration rate, oxygenation of the blood, skin temperature, bodily motion, brain activity, and blood pressure, as well as chemical sensors capable of monitoring various physiological analytes on the wearer's epidermis as well as chemical agents in their local vicinity. For example, these conformal electronic and diagnostic technologies have advanced considerably to the point of integration of disparate systems on a single skin-adhesive substrate. However, further progress in this arena has been hindered by the lack of wearable and conformal power sources, especially those able to harness the mechanical or chemical energy produced by the wearer's body. While flexible and thin battery technologies have been developed, toxicity, longevity, device weight, and overall poor operational performance have precluded their use in transdermal applications, as well as the rigorous mechanical deformation encountered during bouts of physical activity remains to be addressed with respect to these devices. Additionally, piezoelectric energy harvesting materials have also been plagued by the low efficiencies associated with the electromechanical interconversion process in crystalline media lacking inversion symmetry. The disclosed wearable epidermal biofuel cell technology can be implemented to circumvent these challenges with conventional power sources and provide continuous extraction of biochemical fuels from the wearer's epidermis, which can further enable the development of epidermal electronics that can be utilized in the field.
Exemplary implementations of exemplary wearable epidermal biofuel cell devices were performed that demonstrated the ability to generate useful levels of power from the perspiration of live subjects in a non-invasive and continuous fashion through the use of temporary-transfer tattoos. In some implementations, this was accomplished via the selective oxidation of lactate present in the wearer's perspiration through the inclusion of the enzyme lactate oxidase in the anode matrix in conjunction with the water-insoluble electrochemical mediator tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). For example, lactic acid is the most abundant molecular constituent of the perspiration and is also a widely-recognized indicator of exercise intensity, muscular exertion, fatigue, and aerobic/anaerobic respiration. Charting lactate levels in real-time can thus yield timely information regarding an individual's metabolic response to a fitness routine, hence enabling the individual, trainer, coach, and/or healthcare provider to quantify performance levels. Advantageously, an individual's fitness levels and aerobic capacity can indirectly be inferred by the amount of current (and hence power density) produced by the device.
The disclosed tattoo biofuel cell devices address the requirements imparted by epidermal wear, e.g., including, but not limited to, the ability of the device to maintain its structural and electrochemical resiliency against repeated (and often severe) mechanical deformation such as sheer stress and strain. For example, the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell devices can include dispersed carbon fibers within the ink used to print the anode and cathode electrodes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes incorporated in the electrode contingents to facilitate electron transfer, as well as the immobilization of the catalyst (e.g., lactate oxidase) entrapped in a biocompatible chitosan membrane, which synergistically results in the fabrication of biofuel cells that are largely impervious to mechanical strain, stress, and degradation associated with epidermal wear. For example, operation of the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell devices can produce a redox current from the direct oxidation of lactate within the perspiration via biocatalysis at the anode (and concomitant catalytic reduction of oxygen at the cathode) to generate electrical energy at a load. As such, the disclosed tattoo biofuel cell devices can be implemented in a number of practical applications to satisfy the energy requirements of epidermal, transdermal, and percutaneous devices.
Exemplary materials and methods to implement the disclosed embodiment of the technology are presented. The following chemicals and reagents were used in the described implementations, which included tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), glutaraldehyde solution (8%), chitosan, Pt black, bovine serum albumin (BSA), lactic acid, glucose, potassium phosphate monobasic (KH2PO4), potassium phosphate dibasic (K2HPO4), hydrochloric acid (HCl), ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), sodium chloride (NaCl), potassium chloride (KCl), calcium chloride (CaCl2), magnesium chloride (MgCl2), and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), which were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. Lactate oxidase (LOx) was obtained from Toyobo Corp. (Osaka, Japan), and carboxy-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs-COOH) were obtained from cheaptubes.com (Brattleboro, Vt.). All reagents were used without further purification. Carbon fibers (e.g., 8 μm diameter, 6.4 mm length, 93% purity) were obtained from Alfa Aesar (Ward Hill, Mass.), and further processing was performed to reduce their length to approximately 2 mm.
The fabrication of the exemplary tattoo biofuel cells used in the described implementations included the following processes and procedures, which were utilized in exemplary demonstrations and implementations of the disclosed embodiment under exemplary conditions disclosed herein. Design of the temporary transfer tattoo pattern was accomplished in AutoCAD (Autodesk, San Rafael, Calif.) and fabricated on 75 μm-thick stainless steel through-hole and mesh stencils (Metal Etch Services, San Marcos, Calif.). Unique stencil patterns were used for each layer printed. Chopped carbon fibers were dispersed within a conductive carbon (E3449) ink (Ercon, Inc, Wareham, Mass.) to increase the tensile strength of the electrode. Printing was performed using an MPM-SPM semi-automatic screen printer (Speedline Technologies, Franklin, MA). Blank temporary transfer tattoo paper and the accompanying adhesive substrate (Papilio, HPS LLC, Rhome, Tex.) was used.
The two electrode constituents of the tattoo biofuel cell were designed in the shape of ‘UC’ (acronym for the University of California). As shown in
Following the fabrication of the tattoo BFC, the anode (‘U’) was modified with LOx while the electrode ‘C’ was functionalized with Pt black to serve as the cathode. With respect to the bioanode modification, a suspension of carbon nanotubes in ethanol (5 mg/mL) was sonicated for several hours, and then mixed with 0.1 M TTF ethanol/acetone solution in a 2.0:1.6 volume ratio. The suspension was subsequently cast onto the open area of the anode. After the electrodes completely desiccated, 5 μL LOx solution (40 mg/mL with 10 mg/mL BSA) was cast on the electrode, and then covered with 2 μL of 1 wt % chitosan solution. The electrodes were then cross-linked with glutaraldehyde vapor and stored at 4° C. overnight. To modify the tattoo BFC cathode, an aqueous solution of 10 mg/mL Pt black was sonicated and 10 μL of the suspension was cast on the electrode. Following complete desiccation, 1 μL Nafion solution (5 wt %) was cast on the electrode to act as a protective layer.
As illustrated in
In one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed tattoo biofuel cell device, an epidermal biofuel cell device includes a substrate formed of a flexible electrically insulative material structured to adhere to the skin of a user, an anode formed on the substrate of an electrically conductive material, the anode including a catalyst to facilitate the conversion of a fuel substance in a biological fluid to a first product in an oxidative process that releases electrons captured at the anode, thereby extracting energy from the fuel substance, a cathode configured on the substrate adjacent to the anode and separated from the anode by a spacing region, the cathode formed of a material that is electrically conductive and capable of reducing an oxygenated substance in the biological fluid to a second product in a chemical reduction process in which the second product gains electrons, and an anode electrode interface component and a cathode electrode interface component formed on the substrate and electrically coupled to the anode and the cathode, respectively, via electrical interconnects, in which the extracted energy is addressable as electrical energy at the anode electrode interface component and the cathode electrode interface component.
Exemplary implementations of the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell device were performed to perfect the device with regards to the electrochemical performance in vitro. For example, the tattoo biofuel cells were first evaluated by transferring the pattern onto a rigid plastic substrate or onto a flexible GORE-TEX textile for mechanical integrity studies. For example, 0.2 M McIlvaine buffer (pH 5.5) was utilized to emulate the average pH value of human perspiration. With respect to in vitro stability evaluation, artificial perspiration was prepared with the following electrolytes, metabolites, and small molecules, e.g., including Na2SO4, NaHCO3, KCl, MgCl2, NaH2PO4, CaCl2, acetic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, glucose, uric acid, urea, creatinine and ascorbic acid. The pH of the artificial perspiration stock solution was adjusted to 5.3 by 5 M NH4OH. All solutions were prepared with ultra-pure water (18.2 MΩ·cm). Electrochemical characterization was performed at room temperature leveraging a CH Instruments (Austin, Tex.) model 1232A potentiostat.
Healthy volunteer subjects participated in the exemplary power generation experiments. Each volunteer was instructed to wear a temporary transfer tattoo BFC on their upper bicep in order to assess real-time power generation. The BFC was connected to an external 100 kΩ load resistor (RL) in order to achieve maximum power transfer. This value was selected to most closely match the internal series resistance (Rs) such that the maximum power transfer condition was satisfied (Rs=RL). Electrical current was recorded every 5 s using a Keithley (Cleveland, Ohio) 6514 system electrometer interfaced with a computer system including at least a processor and a memory unit including a control program (e.g., instructions in Matlab) to continuously process acquired current readings via the GPIB interface and interpolated the concomitant power generated per unit area (PDENSITY=I2RL/AE, AE=0.06 cm2). In order to filter extraneous noise, a 10-point moving average was iterated at each data point. For example, the subjects were instructed to mount a stationary cycle and a heart rate (HR) monitor was employed to track the subjects' HR. Subjects were instructed to begin cycling at a steady, slow cadence for 3 min. Following this ‘warm-up’ period, subjects were instructed to cycle at an increasing pace until 80% of their maximum heart rate was achieved in order to ensure that the anaerobic respiration threshold was attained, hence augmenting the excretion of lactic acid in the perspiration. Immediately following the subjects' transition to the anaerobic regime, the subjects were instructed to maintain their current cadence for 15 min in order to observe the temporal evolution of the lactate level. Following the 15 min intense exercise activity, subjects were instructed to gradually reduce their cadence during a 3 min ‘cool-down’ period. The volunteers ingested no fluid (dehydrated state) prior to and during the duration of the fitness routine.
Exemplary implementations of exemplary wearable epidermal biofuel cell devices were performed that demonstrated resiliency against mechanical stress caused by continuous body movements. For example, the longevity of such epidermal-mounted devices depend greatly on their ability to adhere well to the human skin without developing fractures that damage the devices. The most common body movements involve flexions, which typically comprise of bending, stretching, and/or twising of the epidermal layer. Accordingly, such devices must encompass an intrinsic flexibile and stretchable nature in addition to being able to adhere well to the epidermis. The disclosed tattoo biofuel cell devices include dispersion of carbon fibers within the inks employed to print these devices, which provide a conductive, interleaved backbone that aids in maintaining the electrical conductivity under various biomechanical stressors. Similarly, the use of an adhesive layer firmly attaches the tattoo biofuel cells to the skin. Visual analysis of the tattoo biofuel cell device on the dorsal region of a human wrist under repeating bending, stretching, and twisting dorsiflexion movements was performed for a total of 50 iterations.
To date, the majority of lactate biofuel cells have been based on the lactate dehydrogenase enzyme. However, in these existing devices, NAD+ must be employed as the cofactor, which represents a noteworthy challenge given that this molecule must be immobilized on the electrode to prevent it from leeching into the matrix while being able to diffuse, with relative ease, to the enzyme's active site.
The disclosed technology includes an exemplary lactate-based biofuel cell utilizing the lactate oxidase (LOx) enzyme for non-invasive power generation from human perspiration, e.g., by selectively catalyzing the oxidation of lactate in the perspiration as the biofuel for epidermal power generation. In some implementations the electrodes of the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell device are functionalized to achieve efficient bioelectrocatalytic conversion, e.g., in which the ‘U’ of the tattoo (anode) was functionalized with MWNTs/TTF/LOx, hence serving as the bioanode to catalyze the oxidation of lactate to pyruvate in the presence of oxygen (cofactor). The cathode ‘C’ made use of a drop-casted Pt black layer, protected with a Nafion proton-exchange membrane.
An image of the exemplary functionalized device is shown in
The exemplary implementations of the exemplary biofuel cell devices included evaluating the mechanical resiliency of the tattoo biofuel cell device in vitro on a GORE-TEX textile. The electrocatalytic behavior of the tattoo biofuel cell device was studied under repeated bending and stretching iterations. With respect to the stretching study, the power output was firstly measured prior to the application of any stress/strain using a fuel containing 14 mM lactic acid in 0.2 M McIlvaine buffer solution, pH 5.5. Thereafter, the tattoo biofuel cell device was stretched ˜10% for 5 sec and then relaxed for another 5 sec. This was iterated 10 times, after which the power output was measured using the 14 mM lactic acid fuel solution. Five such cycles were performed until the tattoo biofuel cell device was stretched a total of 50 times.
In another exemplary implementation, the electrochemical behavior of the tattoo biofuel cell device was assessed by subjecting it to repeated bending iterations to emulate the application of the device near joints on the human body. During the experiment, the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell device was bent at 90° for 5 sec followed by subsequent relaxation for another 5 sec. The bending and subsequent relaxation of the tattoo was iterated ten times after which the power output was measured. As depicted in
The exemplary implementations of the exemplary biofuel cell devices included evaluating the endurance of the tattoo biofuel cell device under extended durations. For example, prolonged stability of any enzymatic electrode represents a crucial prerequisite for successful long-term use of a biofuel cell. The stability of the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell was studied in vitro using artificial perspiration containing 14 mM lactic acid at pH 5.3, e.g., which represent average values in the human perspiration. The power output was measured continuously for the first 5 hours and then recorded at fixed intervals until 4 weeks had transpired. As shown in
For example, it is known that during intense physical activity the aerobic metabolism is incapable to satisfy the body's energy demands. Under such conditions, the human body instigates the anaerobic metabolism, which is more efficient, thereby providing the body with energy via the glycolytic breakdown of blood glucose and glycogen in the sweat gland to form lactate. As a result, the sweat lactate concentration depends greatly on the intensity of the physical activity pursued, with higher levels corresponding to increased muscular exertion during periods of anaerobic exercise. Additionally, sweat lactate concentration decreases locally due to dilution caused by high sweat excretion rate, which would lead to low power output. As shown in
Concomitantly, the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell devices were evaluated over a period of 6 h while it was applied to the subjects' upper bicep. One exemplary subject was instructed to perform 20 min bouts of intense cycling separated by 3 h intervals of rest.
The ability to extract chemical fuels from human perspiration using a biofuel cell in order to generate power from physical activity has been described. The disclosed technology leverages innovations in printed electrodes fabricated on temporary transfer tattoo substrates in order to achieve the selective bioelectrocatalysis of lactic acid present in a wearer's perspiration in a completely non-invasive fashion. The disclosed tattoo biofuel cell devices intimately conform to the anatomical features of the wearer's skin and maintain structural resiliency under the rigors of on-body use, both core requirements of such devices under practical embodiments of epidermal wear. Advantageously, for example, the tattoo can be designed in any geometry and can be concealed in rather inconspicuous artwork. For example, during some implementations, a power density of 50 μW cm−2 with 20 mM lactic acid in buffer was achieved during repeated trials. Depending on the physical fitness level of the wearer, power ranges during these exemplary implementations ranged from 3 to 68 μW cm−2 (e.g., with higher power levels corresponding to less fit individuals), hence underscoring the large dynamic range of lactic acid expected within the perspiration. In addition, the stability of the exemplary tattoo biofuel cell device was implemented with artificial perspiration over a 3-week period, and the power output achieved following this exemplary protracted study was 50 percent of the original value, further accentuating the extended-term stability of the disclosed biofuel cell devices. The amalgamation of the disclosed biofuel cell technology can address the power requirements of in-the-field wearable sensors and other devices.
While this patent document contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this patent document in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the embodiments described in this patent document should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments.
Only a few implementations and examples are described and other implementations, enhancements and variations can be made based on what is described and illustrated in this patent document.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/565,457, filed on Nov. 30, 2011, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/625,655, filed on Apr. 17, 2012. The entire contents of the before-mentioned patent applications are incorporated by reference as part of the disclosure of this application.
This invention was made with government support under grants CBET-1066531 and CHE-1057562 awarded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The government has certain rights in the invention.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2012/067481 | 11/30/2012 | WO | 00 | 5/30/2014 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61625655 | Apr 2012 | US | |
| 61565457 | Nov 2011 | US |
