title: Biofuel cell for generating power from methanol substrate using alcohol oxidase bioanode and air-breathed laccase biocathode.
abstract: We report here an alcohol oxidase (AOx) based third generation bioanode for generating power from methanol substrate in a fuel cell setup using air breathed laccase biocathode. A composite three dimensional microporous matrix containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes, carbon paste and nafion was used as electroactive support for immobilization of the enzymes on toray carbon paper as supporting electrode in the fabrication of the bioelectrodes. Polyethylenimine was used to electrostatically stabilize the AOx (pI 4.3) on the anode operating on direct electrochemistry principle. Osmium tetroxide on poly (4-vinylpyridine) was used to wire the laccase for electron transfer in the biocathode. The enzymatic biofuel cell (EFC) generated an open circuit potential of 0.61 (±0.02) V with a maximum power density of 46 (±0.002) µW cm(-2) at an optimum of 1M methanol, 25 °C and an internal resistance of 0.024 µΩ. The operation and storage half life (t1/2) of the EFC were 17.22 h and 52 days, respectively at a fixed load of 1.85 Ω. The findings have demonstrated the feasibility of developing EFC using AOx based bioanode and laccase based biocathode without applying any toxic free mediator and metal electrode supports for generating electricity.
authors.affiliation: Centre For Energy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Madhuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Centre For Energy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Lepakshi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbora
authors.affiliation: Centre For Energy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Priyanki
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India. Electronic address: pgoswami@iitg.ernet.in.
authors.forename: Pranab
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goswami
mesh_terms: D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology; D004566:Electrodes; D004579:Electron Transport; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004867:Equipment Design; D042845:Laccase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D009993:Osmium Tetroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D010843:Pichia / Q000201:enzymology*; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry; D055454:Trametes / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011145:Polyvinyls; C019535:poly(4-vinylpyridine); D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C019643:alcohol oxidase; D042845:Laccase; D009993:Osmium Tetroxide; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Alcohol oxidase; Direct electron transfer; Enzymatic biofuel cell; Methanol; Multiwalled carbon nanotube; Osmium tetroxide on poly (4-vinylpyridine)