A flexible and disposable battery powered by bacteria using eyeliner coated paper electrodes.
Herein, an environment friendly paper-based biobattery is demonstrated that yields a power of 12.5W/m3. Whatman filter papers were used not only as support for electrode fabrication but also as separator of the biobattery. To provide electrical conductivity to the paper-based cathode and anode, commercially available eyeliner containing carbon nanoparticles and Fe3O4was directly employed as conductive ink without any binder. With an instant start-up, the as-fabricated biocompatible electrodes could hold bacteria in an active form at the anode allowing chemical oxidation of organic fuel producing current. The facile process delineated here can be employed for the tailored electrode fabrication of various flexible energy harnessing devices.
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India.
Ramya
R
Veerubhotla
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India. Electronic address: ddas.iitkgp@gmail.com.
Debabrata
D
Das
Materials Science Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India. Electronic address: deb@matsc.iitkgp.etnet.in.
Debabrata
D
Pradhan
D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000382:microbiology; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004566:Electrodes; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010209:Paper
D002244:Carbon; D006108:Graphite
Air-cathode; Electrodes; Microbial fuel cells; Nanoparticles; Paper-based devices