Construction of a Cascade Catalyst of Nanocoupled Living Red Blood Cells for Implantable Biofuel Cell

Abstract

The broad applications of implantable glucose biofuel cells (GBFCs) have become very attractive in biomedical sciences. The key challenge of GBFCs is eliminating the inevitable product H2O2 generated from the oxidation of glucose when glucose oxidase (GOx) is used as a catalyst while improving the performance of GBFCs. In this work, the cascade electrocatalyst, RBCs@NPDA was obtained through the in situ polymerization of dopamine to form nanopolydopamine (NPDA) on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs). The RBCs@NPDA can catalyze both fuels of H2O2 and O2, so as to generate a high cathodic current (0.414 mA cm–2). Furthermore, when RBCs@NPDA was used as a cathodic catalyst in the membraneless GBFC, it exhibited the cascade catalytic activity in the reduction of O2–H2O2 and minimized the damage to RBCs caused by the high concentration of H2O2. The mechanism research indicates that RBCs@NPDA integrates the property of NPDA and RBCs. Specifically, NPDA plays a catalase-like role in catalyzing the decomposition of H2O2, while RBCs play a laccase-like role in electrocatalyzing the O2 reduction reaction. This work offers the cascade catalyst for improving the performance of implantable GBFC and presents a strategy for constructing catalysts using living cells and nanomaterials to replace deformable and unstable enzymes in other biofuel cells.

Pt Concave Nanocubes with High-Index Facets as Electrocatalysts for Glucose Oxidation

“…However, their short service life affected by the limited battery capacity restricts their further development and application. Alternative solutions for sustainable power supply within the human body are required urgently. , For implantable applications, glucose is extremely suitable as an inexhaustible and inherent source of chemical energy, which can be transformed into electricity through an implantable fuel cell. , Theoretically, this device promises an unrestricted lifespan since the contents of oxygen and glucose are abundant in body fluids as essential substances for life . The speed-control step in glucose fuel cells (GFCs) can be ascribed to the slow glucose oxidation kinetics and its low diffusion coefficient at the anode .…”

“…Alternative solutions for sustainable power supply within the human body are required urgently. 2,3 For implantable applications, glucose is extremely suitable as an inexhaustible and inherent source of chemical energy, which can be transformed into electricity through an implantable fuel cell. 4,5 Theoretically, this device promises an unrestricted lifespan since the contents of oxygen and glucose are abundant in body fluids as essential substances for life.…”

Bimetallic Electrocatalyst of Hyaluronate-Au@Pt for Durable Oxygen Reduction in Biofuel Cells

“…Biofuel cells (BFCs) can be a promising alternative power source using various biomolecules such as glucose, lactate, and cholesterol in the human body. In the bioanode of BFCs, these biomolecules are oxidized to gluconolactone and pyruvate by glucose oxidase (GOx) − and lactate oxidase, − which simultaneously triggers an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the biocathode, where O 2 molecules are reduced by enzymes such as bilirubin oxidase , and laccase. , Although the open-circuit voltage (OCV) of bioelectrode based-enzymatic BFCs (EBFCs) was higher than that of abiotic-electrode-based fuel cells, EBFCs have the limitation of low stability and high cost of enzymes for further applications. − To circumvent these issues, metallic catalysts have been proposed for the ORR catalysis of fuel cells instead of enzymes. − Even in this case, oxygen supply in aqueous solution is still one of the major limitations for ORR performance . In this regard, platinum has been used as an ORR catalyst in biocathodes because of its unique oxygen adsorption strength. − For example, Pt-Ni, Pt-Co, Pt-Pd, Pt-Fe, Au-Pt-C, and Pt-Pd-Au electrocatalysts have been developed for Pt-based ORR electrocatalysts. − …”