Biofuel cells (BFCs) that utilize enzymes as catalysts represent a new sustainable and renewable energy technology. Numerous efforts have been directed to improve the performance of the enzymatic BFCs (EBFCs) with respect to power output and operational stability for further applications in portable power sources, self-powered electrochemical sensing, implantable medical devices, etc. This concept article details the latest advances about the EBFCs based on porous nanoarchitectures over the past 5 years. Porous matrices from carbon, noble metal, and polymer promote the development of EBFCs through the electron transfer and mass transport benefits. We will also discuss some key issues on how these nanostructured porous media improve the performance of EBFCs in the end.

As biocélulas a combustível proporcionam meios de se obter energia de maneira mais sustentável, limpa e renovável e apresentam grande potencial para serem usadas como fontes de energia alternativas para dispositivos eletrônicos de baixa demanda energética. Esta dissertação investiga a bioeletro-oxidação de etanol pela enzima Álcool Desidrogenase (ADH) empregando-se bioânodos com polimerização simultânea do mediador (poli - verde de metileno) e polímero condutor (polipirrol). Uma vez preparado o bioânodo foram realizados estudos para verificar a oxidação do cofator (NADH), formação do produto da bio-oxidação de etanol, estabilidade e também estudos visando aumentar a eficiência energética gerada empregando nanotubos de carbono para aumento de área eletroquímicamente ativa e melhor comunicação com os sítios ativos das enzimas. Foi também preparada uma biocélula completa sem membrana polimérica visando diminuir resistência de transferência de prótons do sistema, com a configuração final constituída de ADH/NAD+, etanol, Lacase/O2 com e sem MWCNT. O bioânodo se mostrou relativamente estável, apresentando um decaimento médio de 36% do valor inicial da densidade de potência após 20 semanas de estocagem. Quando operado em condição contínua (tempo = 4h, E (V)= ½ PCA), o decaimento foi de 39% e de 66% em 12 horas de operação. Os valores de densidade de potência foram melhorados com a adição de MWCNTs sobre o suporte de C antes da eletropolimerização do filme simultâneo, em pH 8,9, obteve-se 275 + 12 ?W cm-2. A eletrólise para este sistema mostrou a formação de acetaldeído com conversão de 18% de etanol. Para a biocélula completa, os melhores resultados foram com a presença de MWCNTs no bioânodo, obtendo-se uma potência de 12,5 +0,9 ?W cm-2. Os resultados obtidos são bastante promissores comparado com a literatura atual e mostram que esse sistema pode ser empregado para construção de BFC. / Biofuel cells provide the means to obtain energy in a more sustainable, clean, and renewable way and have great potential as alternative energy sources for low-energy electronic devices. This dissertation investigates ethanol bioelectrooxidation by the enzyme Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) at bioanodes with simultaneous polymerization of the mediator (polymethylene green) and conductive polymer (polypyrrole). After preparing the bioanode, we investigated cofactor (NADH) oxidation, the ethanol biooxidation product,and bioanode stability. We also conducted studies to increase the generated energy efficiency by using carbon nanotubes to augment the electrochemically active area and to improve communication with the enzyme active sites. We also prepared a complete biofuel cell without polymer membrane to decrease the system proton transfer resistance: the final configuration consisted of ADH / NAD +, ethanol, Laccase , and O2 with or without MWCNTs. The bioanode was relatively stable. The mean decay was 36% of the initial power density after 20 weeks of storage. When the bioanode was operated in continuous condition (time = 4h, E (V) = ½ PCA), the decay was 39% and 66% in 12 hours of operation. The power density values increased upon addition of MWCNTs to the C-support before simultaneous film electropolymerization at pH 8.9, to give 275 + 12 ?W cm-2. Under electrolysis conditions, this system produced acetaldehyde and converted 18% of ethanol. For the complete biofuel cell, the best results were with the presence of MWCNTs in the bioanode, which provided a power of 12.5 +0.9 ?W cm-2. The results obtained here are quite promising if compared to the current literature and show that this system can be used to construct a BFC.

The objectives of the doctoral thesis are following: (i) to design carbohydrate/oxygen enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs); (ii) to determine the factors limiting the performance of EBFCs; (iii) to characterise the bioelectrochemical properties of the enzymes adsorbed at conductive nanostructures and evaluate the viscoelasticity of these nanostructures. In this work 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline (5AP) has been found to be the best redox mediator for glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme among five studied phenanthroline derivatives with different functional groups. Later the 5AP cross-linked with GOx enzyme on a graphite rod electrode (GRE) was employed as an anode while GRE with co-immobilised horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and GOx was exploited as a cathode in order to design a glucose powered EBFC. A positively charged bi-functional thiol, N-(6-mercapto)hexylpyridinium (MHP), was exploited to electrostatically attach the cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) enzymes from Corynascus thermophilus (CtCDH) and Humicola insolens (HiCDH) to the gold nanoparticle (AuNP) surface. This coupling enabled a sufficient direct electron transfer between the enzymes and the AuNP-modified gold surface. Therefore, the HiCDH enzyme, showing better performance characteristics, was employed as an anodic biocatalyst in the designing of a mediatorless carbohydrate (glucose or lactose)/oxygen EBFC. The biocathode of the EBFC was based on bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria directly immobilised on the surface... [to full text] / Disertacinio darbo tikslai: (i) sukonstruoti fermentinius angliavandenių/deguonies biokuro elementus (FBKE); (ii) nustatyti FBKE veikimą ribojančius faktorius; (iii) apibūdinti fermentų, adsorbuotų laidžiose nanostruktūrose, bioelektrokatalizines charakteristikas ir įvertinti šių nanostruktūrų viskoelastines savybes. 5-amino-1,10-fenantrolino (5AF) junginys, iš penkių šiame darbe tirtų fenantrolinų junginių besiskiriančių funkcinėmis grupėmis, įvertintas kaip geriausias elektronų pernašos (EP) tarpininkas gliukozės oksidazės (GO) katalizuojamoje heterogeninėje reakcijoje. 5AF junginys kartu su GO fermentu (5AF/GO) buvo panaudotas anodinio elektrodo konstrukcijoje, o atitinkamai bifermentinė krienų peroksidazės (KP) ir GO sistema (KP/GO) – katodinio elektrodo konstrukcijoje. Šie elektrodai panaudoti gliukozės FBKE kūrimui. Teigiamą krūvį turintis bifunkcinis tiolinis N-(6-merkapto)heksilopiridinio (MHP) junginys panaudotas fermentų imobilizacijai aukso nanodalelių (AuND) paviršiuje elektrostatinės sąveikos būdu. AuND paviršiuje imobilizuoti celiobiozės dehidrogenazės (CDH) fermentai, išskirti iš Corynascus thermophilus (CtCDH) ir Humicola insolens (HiCDH) kamienų, sudarė fermentas-AuND sąsają įgalinančią tiesioginę EP. HiCDH fermentas kaip biokatalizatorius pritaikytas anodinio elektrodo konstrukcijoje AuND/MHP/HiCDH kuriant tiesiogine EP paremtus angliavandenių (gliukozės, laktozės)/deguonies FBKE. Bilirubino oksidazė (BO), tiesiogiai imobilizuota AuND paviršiuje (AuND/BO)... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Disertacinio darbo tikslai: (i) sukonstruoti fermentinius angliavandenių/deguonies biokuro elementus (FBKE); (ii) nustatyti FBKE veikimą ribojančius veiksnius; (iii) apibūdinti fermentų, adsorbuotų laidžiose nanostruktūrose, bioelektrokatalizines charakteristikas ir įvertinti šių nanostruktūrų viskoelastines savybes. 5-amino-1,10-fenantrolino (5AF) junginys, iš penkių šiame darbe tirtų fenantrolinų junginių besiskiriančių funkcinėmis grupėmis, įvertintas kaip geriausias elektronų pernašos (EP) tarpininkas gliukozės oksidazės (GO) katalizuojamoje heterogeninėje reakcijoje. 5AF junginys kartu su GO fermentu (5AF/GO) buvo panaudotas anodinio elektrodo konstrukcijoje, o atitinkamai bifermentinė krienų peroksidazės (KP) ir GO sistema (KP/GO) – katodinio elektrodo konstrukcijoje. Šie elektrodai panaudoti gliukozės FBKE kūrimui. Teigiamą krūvį turintis bifunkcinis tiolinis N-(6-merkapto)heksilopiridinio (MHP) junginys panaudotas fermentų imobilizacijai aukso nanodalelių (AuND) paviršiuje elektrostatinės sąveikos būdu. AuND paviršiuje imobilizuoti celiobiozės dehidrogenazės (CDH) fermentai, išskirti iš Corynascus thermophilus (CtCDH) ir Humicola insolens (HiCDH) kamienų, sudarė fermentas-AuND sąsają įgalinančią tiesioginę EP. HiCDH fermentas kaip biokatalizatorius pritaikytas anodinio elektrodo konstrukcijoje AuND/MHP/HiCDH kuriant tiesiogine EP paremtus angliavandenių (gliukozės, laktozės)/deguonies FBKE. Bilirubino oksidazė (BO, tiesiogiai imobilizuota AuND paviršiuje (AuND/BO)... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The objectives of the doctoral thesis are following: (i) to design carbohydrate/oxygen enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs); (ii) to determine the factors limiting the performance of EBFCs; (iii) to characterise the bioelectrochemical properties of the enzymes adsorbed at conductive nanostructures and evaluate the viscoelasticity of these nanostructures. In this work 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline (5AP) has been found to be the best redox mediator for glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme among five studied phenanthroline derivatives with different functional groups. Later the 5AP cross-linked with GOx enzyme on a graphite rod electrode (GRE) was employed as an anode while GRE with co-immobilised horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and GOx was exploited as a cathode in order to design a glucose powered EBFC. A positively charged bi-functional thiol, N-(6-mercapto)hexylpyridinium (MHP), was exploited to electrostatically attach the cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) enzymes from Corynascus thermophilus (CtCDH) and Humicola insolens (HiCDH) to the gold nanoparticle (AuNP) surface. This coupling enabled a sufficient direct electron transfer between the enzymes and the AuNP-modified gold surface. Therefore, the HiCDH enzyme, showing better performance characteristics, was employed as an anodic biocatalyst in the designing of a mediatorless carbohydrate (glucose or lactose)/oxygen EBFC. The biocathode of the EBFC was based on bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria directly immobilised on the surface... [to full text]

Biofuel cells (BFCs) that utilize enzymes as catalysts represent a new sustainable and renewable energy technology. Numerous efforts have been directed to improve the performance of the enzymatic BFCs (EBFCs) with respect to power output and operational stability for further applications in portable power sources, self-powered electrochemical sensing, implantable medical devices, etc. This concept article details the latest advances about the EBFCs based on porous nanoarchitectures over the past 5 years. Porous matrices from carbon, noble metal, and polymer promote the development of EBFCs through the electron transfer and mass transport benefits. We will also discuss some key issues on how these nanostructured porous media improve the performance of EBFCs in the end.

Dans la nature, la réduction du dioxygène est catalysée par des enzymes de la famille des oxydoréductases. A l’heure actuelle, ces protéines spécifiques et efficaces sont envisagés comme biocatalyseurs au sein de biopile enzymatique. Dans ce contexte, l’optimisation de l’orientation et de la connexion d’oxydases multi-cuivre (MCOs) pour la réduction d’O2 sur des matrices de nanotubes carbone (CNTs) fonctionnalisées a été étudiée. Dans un premier temps, le transfert électronique direct de la laccase est optimisé par la fonctionnalisation non covalente de CNTs par divers dérivés hydrophobes. La dynamique moléculaire ainsi que la modélisation électrochimique ont permis la rationalisation des performances des différentes biocathodes développées. Dans une seconde approche, la modification spécifique par des groupements pyrène de la surface de laccases modifiées par mutagénèse a également été envisagée. La fonctionnalisation supramoléculaire de CNTs par des feuillets de graphène fonctionnalisés d’une part, et par des nanoparticules d’or d’autre part, a également permis de favoriser la connexion de laccases. La seconde partie présente l’élaboration d’autres types de biocathodes basées sur la connexion directe de bilirubines oxydases. Plusieurs stratégies de fonctionnalisation covalente et non covalente de CNTs ont été envisagées. Les différentes biocathodes élaborées par l’assemblage supramoléculaire de MCOs et de matériaux nanostructurés délivrent des densités de courant de réduction du dioxygène de plusieurs mA cm-2. Ces nouvelles bioélectrodes combinées à une bioanode qui catalyse l’oxydation du glucose ont permis le développement de biopiles enzymatiques glucose/O2 délivrant des densités maximales de puissances allant de 250 µW cm-2 à 750 µW cm-2 selon les conditions expérimentales. Enfin une bioanode à base d’une hydrogénase hyperthermophile a été développée et associée à une biocathode à base de bilirubine oxydase pour former un nouveau design de biopile H2/O2. Au sein de ce dispositif, la biocathode à diffusion de gaz réduit directement l’oxygène provenant de l’air, ce qui permet de s’affranchir de l’utilisation d’une membrane séparatrice tout en protégeant l’hydrogénase de sa désactivation en présence d’oxygène. Cette nouvelle biopile délivre une densité maximale de puissance de 750 µW cm-2. / The reduction of oxygen is realized in nature by oxidoreductase enzymes. Currently, these highly specific and efficient proteins are considered as biocatalysts for the development of biofuel cells. In this context, optimizing the orientation and the connection of multicopper oxidase (MCOs) for the reduction of O2 on functionalized carbon nanotubes was studied. In the first part of this manuscript, direct electron transfer of laccase is assessed and optimized by the non-covalent functionalization of CNTs by various hydrophobic derivatives. Electrochemical modeling and molecular dynamics enabled the rationalization of the developed biocathodes efficiency. In a second approach, the specific modification by pyrene moieties of laccases surface modified by protein engineered has also been considered. Additionally, supramolecular functionalization of CNTs by modified graphene sheets and gold nanoparticles also helped to promote laccase connection. The second part presents the development of other types of biocathodes based on the direct connection of bilirubin oxidase. Several strategies of covalent and non-covalent CNTs functionalization have been considered. The different biocathodes developed by the supramolecular assembly of nanostructured materials and MCOs delivered current density of several mA cm-2 for oxygen reduction. These new bioelectrodes combined with a bioanode which catalyzes the glucose oxidation have enabled the development of glucose/O2 enzymatic biofuel cells; delivering maximum power densities from 250 µW cm-2 to 750 µW cm-2 depending on the experimental conditions. Finally a hyperthermophilic hydrogenase based bioanode was developed and associated with a bilirubin oxidase-based biocathode to form a new design of H2/O2 biofuel cell. Within this device, the gas diffusion biocathode directly reduces oxygen from the air, which eliminates the use of a separation membrane while protecting the hydrogenase from its deactivation in the presence oxygen. This new biofuel cell delivers a maximum power density of 750 µW cm-2.