Cherry-like Pt@Fe3O4 decorated MWCNT/PANI nanohybrid based bioanode for glucose biofuel cell application

Abstract

With the tremendous research in enzymatic biofuel cells, development of high-performance hybrid nanocomposites to serve as effective immobilization supports for oxido-reductive enzymes is of paramount importance. These nanocomposite based electrocatalysts are being extensively explored as low-cost solutions in enzymatic glucose biofuel cells to address the challenges of instability, short-lifetime, and poor electron transfer. Herein, a hybrid nanocomposite was synthesized by insitu polymerization of polyaniline (PANI) which is composed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) decorated on magnetite (Fe3O4) nanosphere with cherry like morhology. This study presents a facile and cost-effective Pt@Fe3O4/MWCNT/PANI nanoelectrocatalyst effective for the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) and for exhibiting outstanding electrocatalytic activity by mediated electron transfer harvesting energy from glucose oxidation. The Pt@Fe3O4/MWCNT/PANI nanohybrid based enzymatic glucose biofuel cell demonstrated a maximum current density of 7.3 mA cm−2 with a high open circuit voltage of 0.6 V which indicates that Pt@Fe3O4/MWCNT/PANI hybrid nanocomposite is an outstanding electrocatalyst with a great potential for carrying out various electrochemical processes like energy conversion in biofuel cells.