Optimization of Method and Components of Enzymatic Fuel Cells

Ibukun Akinsola,Taiye Akomolafe,Muibat A Soliu,Aderemi Babatunde Alabi

doi:10.46481/jnsps.2019.17

Ibukun Akinsola, Taiye Akomolafe + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.46481/jnsps.2019.17

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Abstract

Enzymatic fuel cells produce electrical power by oxidation of renewable energy sources. An enzymatic glucose biofuel cell uses glucose as fuel and enzymes as biocatalyst, to convert biochemical energy into electrical energy. The applications which need low electrical voltages and low currents have much of the interest in developing enzymatic fuel cells. The cell was constructed using three different materials with different electrodes (Bitter leaf and Copper electrodes (BCu), Bitter leaf and Carbon electrodes (BC) and Water leaf and Carbon electrodes (WC)). The short circuit current and open circuit voltage were measured in micro-ampere (mu A) and milli-volt (mV) respectively at 30 minutes interval over the period of 12 hours (from dawn to dusk). The results which show that fuel cells constructed using bitter leaf with carbon electrode has the highest open circuit voltage, short circuit current and generated power of 162.8~mV, 1.65~ mu A and 268.62~nW respectively at 720~mins is obtained from the plots generated by the use of Microsoft Excel. The results show that all short circuit currents, voltages and powers generated increases with time and this is as a result of the exposure to solar radiation during the period of taking the measurement.

Highlights

Enzymatic fuel cells produce electrical power by oxidation of renewable energy sources
Results and Discussion generated the highest open circuit current and voltage, followed by that constructed using Bitter leaf with Copper electrodes, The short circuit current and open circuit voltage were mea- while that constructed using Water leaf with Carbon electrodes sured in micro-ampere and millivolt respectively at generated the least open circuit current and voltage
This shows that the potential difference between the electrodes and the rate of transfer of electron through separator is lowest in the fuel cell constructed using Water leaf with leaf with Copper electrodes, Bitter leaf with Carbon electrodes Carbon electrodes but highest in the fuel cell constructed using and Water leaf with Carbon electrodes respectively, while the voltage generated by the cells ranges from 34.2−116.8 mV, 51.3− 162.8 mV and 11.7 − 90.81 mV for fuel cell constructed using

Summary

Introduction

Enzymatic fuel cells produce electrical power by oxidation of renewable energy sources. The results which show that fuel cells constructed using bitter leaf with carbon electrode has the highest open circuit voltage, short circuit current and generated power of 162.8 mV, 1.65 μA and 268.62 nW respectively at 720 mins is obtained from the plots generated by the use of Microsoft Excel. Biological fuel cells convert the chemical energy of carbohydrates, such as sugars and alcohols, directly into electrical energy with the aid of a biological agent, i.e. a single strain or a consortium of microorganisms or isolated microbial enzymes [6]. They use the available substrates from renewable sources and convert them into harmless

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Conclusion