Transparent, mediator- and membrane-free enzymatic fuel cell based on nanostructured chemically modified indium tin oxide electrodes

Abstract

We detail a mediator- and membrane-free enzymatic glucose/oxygen biofuel cell based on transparent and nanostructured conducting supports. Chemically modified indium tin oxide nanoparticle modified electrodes were used to substantially increase the active surface area without significantly compromising transparency. Two different procedures for surface nanostructuring were employed, viz. spray-coating and drop-coating. The spray-coated biodevice showed superior characteristics as compared to the drop-coated enzymatic fuel cell, as a result of the higher nanostructured surface area as confirmed by electrochemical characterisation, as well as scanning electron and atomic force microscopy. Subsequent chemical modification with silanes, followed by the immobilisation of either cellobiose dehydrogenase from Corynascus thermophiles or bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria, were performed to obtain the bioanodes and biocathodes, respectively. The optimised biodevice exhibited an OCV of 0.67V and power output of up to 1.4µW/cm2 at an operating voltage of 0.35V. This is considered a significant step forward in the field of glucose/oxygen membrane- and mediator-free, transparent enzymatic fuel cells.