Stretchable and Flexible Buckypaper‐Based Lactate Biofuel Cell for Wearable Electronics. (25th September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Xiaohong; Yin, Lu; Lv, Jian; Gross, Andrew J.; Le, Minh; Gutierrez, Nathaniel Georg; Li, Yang; Jeerapan, Itthipon; Giroud, Fabien; Berezovska, Anastasiia; O'Reilly, Rachel K.; Xu, Sheng; Cosnier, Serge; Wang, Joseph
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 29:Number 46(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-09-25
• Subjects: bioelectrocatalysis -- energy harvesting -- flexible electronics -- paper electrode -- screen printing; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201905785
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

Abstract: This work demonstrates a stretchable and flexible lactate/O2 biofuel cell (BFC) using buckypaper (BP) composed of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes as the electrode material. Free‐standing BP, functionalized with a pyrene‐polynorbornene homopolymer, is fabricated as the immobilization matrix for lactate oxidase (LOx) at the anode and bilirubin oxidase at the cathode. This biofuel cell delivers an open circuit voltage of 0.74 V and a high‐power density of 520 µW cm −2 . The functionalized BP electrodes are assembled onto a stretchable screen‐printed current collector with an "island–bridge" configuration, which ensures conformal contact between the wearable BFC and the human body and endows the BFC with excellent performance stability under stretching condition. When applied to the arm of the volunteer, the BFC can generate a maximum power of 450 µW. When connected with a voltage booster, the on‐body BFC is able to power a light emitting diode under both pulse discharge and continuous discharge modes during exercise. This demonstrates the promising potential of the flexible BP‐based BFC as a self‐sustained power source for next‐generation wearable electronics. Abstract : Flexible buckypaper electrodes loaded with lactate oxidase and bilirubin oxidase are combined with a screen‐printed stretchable current collector for the construction of wearable lactate/O2 enzymatic biofuel cell. The substrate with an "island–bridge" configuration endows the biofuel cell with excellent stability under stretching conditions. The developed biofuel cell shows improved open circuit voltage and power performance.