Abstract
Abstract: Powering implantable devices in human body with a glucose based fuel cell (GFC) offers an alternative to non-rechargeable batteries that typically require routine invasive surgery. There are three main approaches for GFCs to oxidise glucose. Enzymatic Fuel Cells are selective and have a high reaction rate but are unstable as the proteins can denature giving the cell a short lifespan. Microbial Fuel Cells use microbes to break down glucose to produce electrons. However they possess the danger of cell leakages that can introduce the microbes to the patient and risk possible infection. Abiotic Fuel Cells employ inorganic catalysts, typically a noble metal alloy or metallic carbon to oxidise and reduce glucose and oxygen respectively. Abiotic is the safest and most stable of the three but possesses the lowest output due to the electrodes inability to target glucose specifically. This meta-study investigates for Abiotic Glucose Fuel Cell being the most viable candidate of the three for possible use in autonomous medical devices. We will assess current abiotic fuel cells on the thermodynamic parameters of output voltage, current/current density, power density and efficiency. The kinetic parameters of internal resistance and rate at which membranes transport electrons will also be assessed. Operational parameters of lifespan and overall architecture will also be assessed to further understand the conditions and materials these cells were produced.Keywords: Glucose; Fuel Cell; Meta-study; Enzymatic; Microbial; Abiotic; Implantable Devices
Highlights
As implantable medical devices (IMD) are becoming more popular and needed, there is a need to constantly make changes and improve them to encourage patients who need these medical devices to accept them
This meta-study was conducted in order to find out if Abiotic Fuel Cell (AFC) technology could possibly be implemented in the human body and to see any areas future AFC research could be focused for improvement
We chose eight articles that demonstrated a working glucose based fuel cell and took different approaches to their investigation in order to cover a variety of different AFCs
Summary
As implantable medical devices (IMD) are becoming more popular and needed, there is a need to constantly make changes and improve them to encourage patients who need these medical devices to accept them. Most MFCs are mediatorless, which uses specific microorganisms introduced to the body that have electrochemically active redox proteins on their outer membrane that can transfer electrons directly to the anode. Some research have shown that MFCs could utilise existing microorganisms inside the human body to generate electricity.[2]. The introduction of microbes and bacteria which the human body is not familiar with might lead to a rejection reaction by the patient This would render the fuel cell to be useless. Current investigations into AFCs that we discussed have not taken size restraints into much consideration nor has there been an investigation into the effects of the membrane on the cell We feel that these areas have strong potential for future research into AFCs in the quest for producing an AFC that can potentially power implantable devices
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