Pyruvate/air enzymatic biofuel cell capable of complete oxidation

Abstract

Most enzymatic biofuel cells contain bioanodes with single enzymes to partially oxidize biofuels. This is ideal for implantable devices, but two-electron oxidation of fuels limits energy density for portable power applications. This article details the development of enzymatic bioanodes for complete oxidation of pyruvate, where the bioanode contains the enzymes of the Kreb's cycle, therefore maximizing the energy density. Although pyruvate has not been employed as a fuel for enzymatic biofuel cells in the literature, it has been employed as a fuel for mitochondrial biofuel cells. In this article, we observe 4.6-fold power density increases using individual Kreb's cycle enzymes compared to the intact mitochondria. © 2009 The Electrochemical Society.