Biofuel cell nanodevices

Abstract

Looking at the past decades, intense efforts have been made on one of the flourishing technology called biofuel cells with respect to the power or energy crisis prevailing all over the globe. Global researchers are taking part in the development of biofuels cells by exploiting novel characteristics of unconventional materials at atomic and molecule level like nanotubes (carbon nanotubes), nanosheets, nanoparticles, conducting polymers, etc in order to generate effective electricity from the substrates of biological origin via utilizing various biocatalysts. With the advancement in the field of nanotechnology, significant discoveries with respect to the field of biofuel cells have been accomplished. But till date, there has been a significant challenge regarding the performance and efficiency of the biofuels cells. Nowadays, to generate high power, an efficient and skillful approach which consists of the implementation of nano-based materials and conducting polymers with respect to the assembly of the biofuel cells is being considered by many researchers. Bioenergy and biofuels is a potential contestant for alternative fuel and with regard to this nanotechnology is one such significant weapon to synthesize and modify the production of biofuel and bio-energy. It has been assumed that in the near future with such extensive research biofuel cells will take up the economy of a nation in a sustainable way. This review gives the insights of biofuel cells and their types, brief synopsis of applications of the biofuel cells along with the scrutiny of biofuel cells in the market. Significant discussions have been provided in this review relating to the nanomaterials being employed as an electrode in biofuel cells. Certain examples have been mentioned to justify the concept of biofuel cell nanodevices following the ethical considerations of the same.