Coupling orientation and mediation strategies for efficient electron transfer in hybrid biofuel cells

Kamal Elouarzaki, Daojian Cheng, Adrian C. Fisher and Jong-Min Lee ()
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Kamal Elouarzaki: Nanyang Technological University
Daojian Cheng: Beijing University of Chemical Technology
Adrian C. Fisher: Cambridge CARES
Jong-Min Lee: Nanyang Technological University

Nature Energy, 2018, vol. 3, issue 7, 574-581

Abstract: Abstract Enzymes are promising electrocatalysts for electron transfer (ET) in many biological processes. Strategies to enhance ET between enzymes and electroactive surfaces include orientation and immobilization of the enzymes and electron mediation. Here, we develop a strategy to couple orientation and electron mediation on electrodes based on carbon nanotubes. This is achieved by the synthesis of a redox mediator that contains an enzyme-orientation site (pyrene), an electron-carrier redox mediator (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS)) and an electropolymerizable monomer (pyrrole). The coupling of an enzymatic orientation and a mediated ET in the same chemical structure (pyrrole–ABTS–pyrene (pyrr–ABTS–pyr)) provides a much-improved performance in the bioelectrocatalysis. We demonstrate two fuel cells for the synthesized redox mediator. In a proton-exchange membrane hydrogen/air fuel cell and in a membraneless fuel cell, the pyrr–ABTS–pyr biocathode provides a power density of 1.07 mW cm−2 and 7.9 mW cm−2, respectively. The principle of coupling an enzyme orientation and a redox mediator allows a great variety of mediators to be engineered and provides vast possibilities for the development of fuel cells.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41560-018-0166-4

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