A high-energy-density sugar biobattery based on a synthetic enzymatic pathway

Zhiguang Zhu, Tsz Kin Tam, Fangfang Sun, Chun You and Y. -H. Percival Zhang ()
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Zhiguang Zhu: Virginia Tech, 304 Seitz Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
Tsz Kin Tam: Cell Free Bioinnovations Inc., 2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1200B, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, USA
Fangfang Sun: Cell Free Bioinnovations Inc., 2200 Kraft Drive, Suite 1200B, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, USA
Chun You: Virginia Tech, 304 Seitz Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
Y. -H. Percival Zhang: Virginia Tech, 304 Seitz Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract High-energy-density, green, safe batteries are highly desirable for meeting the rapidly growing needs of portable electronics. The incomplete oxidation of sugars mediated by one or a few enzymes in enzymatic fuel cells suffers from low energy densities and slow reaction rates. Here we show that nearly 24 electrons per glucose unit of maltodextrin can be produced through a synthetic catabolic pathway that comprises 13 enzymes in an air-breathing enzymatic fuel cell. This enzymatic fuel cell is based on non-immobilized enzymes that exhibit a maximum power output of 0.8 mW cm−2 and a maximum current density of 6 mA cm−2, which are far higher than the values for systems based on immobilized enzymes. Enzymatic fuel cells containing a 15% (wt/v) maltodextrin solution have an energy-storage density of 596 Ah kg−1, which is one order of magnitude higher than that of lithium-ion batteries. Sugar-powered biobatteries could serve as next-generation green power sources, particularly for portable electronics.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4026

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