title: Automatic, sequential power generation for prolonging the net lifetime of a miniature biofuel cell stack.
abstract: A sequential power generation system for prolonging the net lifetime of a miniature biofuel cell stack has been developed. The system consists of layered chambers of enzyme fuel cells designed to be exposed sequentially to fuel solution by automatically switched fuel flow. The cell chambers were initially separated by magnetized plastic covers sealed with a degradable glue, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). The time that the cover was opened by attraction with an external magnet, thereby activating the following cell, was adjustable from a few hours to a few weeks by controlling the weight ratio of Fe(3)O(4) in the covers and the molecular weight of PLGA. By using sequential power generation in this way, the power output of the system was stable for longer periods, and therefore the net lifetime of the stack has been extended as compared with that of a single biofuel cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Tohoku University, 6-6-1 Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan. miyake@biomems.mech.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oike
authors.forename: Syuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yatagawa
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haneda
authors.forename: Matsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004735:Energy Transfer; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008904:Miniaturization; D014159:Transducers