Application of Porous Carbon Materials in Biofuel Cells

BioF theuel cell (BFC) uses natural microorganisms or enzymes as catalysts to catalyze the oxidation-reduction reaction of organics in nature to generate electricity. Compared with traditional fuel cells, biofuel cells use non-toxic and renewable biocatalysts and organic fuels. They have sufficient sources of raw materials, low cost, and can generate electricity under mild conditions. They are clean, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. They have good prospects in the field of micro electronic devices and biosensors.

Porous carbon materials have good biocompatibility, adjustable pore size, large specific surface area, good electrical conductivity and heat transfer performance.These properties are conducive to improving the performance of bioelectrode in enzyme load, electroactive surface, porosity and electron transfer rate, which makes porous carbon materials have a great potential in the field of biofuel cells. Isao shitanda et al. Developed a high-power lactic acid/O2 BFC, which includes a composite electrode with carbon cloth as collector and a composite electrode with MgO template porous carbon as electroenzyme reaction field and enzyme carrier. The power density is 4.3mw/cm2 and the open circuit voltage is 0.5V.

The size of enzyme is relatively large, and it is difficult to enter the general porous carbon pore. For example, the three-dimensional dimensions of glucose oxidase are 6.7nm, 6.7nm and 21.5nm, respectively, and cannot enter the porous carbon with pore size<21.5nm. Suzhou Qingtan nanomaterials Co., Ltd. has developed a three-dimensional through porous carbon with a pore size of 150nm for biofuel cells, which has the characteristics of large pore size and good conductivity, and is an ideal electrode material for biofuel cells (BFC).