Study of Anode Deactivation for Biofuel Cell Design Frank Jeyson Hernandez Universitat Rovira i Virgili Tarragona - Spain Thesis Project Course HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre 3 rd February, 2005
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre Definition of Fuel Cell A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity from a fuel (hydrogen or hydrogen-rich fuel) and oxygen by an electrochemical process. Anode: 2 H 2 4e - + 4H + Cathode: O 2 + 4e - + 4H + 2 H 2 O Operational principle
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre e-e- e-e- anode S P cathode CoPOs POs P S GDH (PQQ) HRP R P cell = V cell x I cell Definition of Biofuel Cell Biofuel cells use biocatalysts for the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. AdvantagesApplications Minituarization and portability Communication, computers, medical devices Temperature (37ºC)Medical devices High EfficiencySmall devices HRP: Horseradish Peroxidase GDH (PQQ): Glucose Dehydrogenase ( PQQ-dependent )
CATHODE Os ( reduced ) HRP (oxidized) HRP (reduced) H2O2H2O2 H2OH2O Os (oxidized) HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre ANODE Os (oxidized) PQQ-GDH (reduced) PQQ-GDH (oxidized) Glucose Gluconolactone Os (reduced) 2e - Substrate Product Biofuel Cell Reaction
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre CoPOs, E 0’ =+210 mV vs Ag/AgCl Surface Electrode Os PQQ G G G G GGGGG GG Gluconolactone + e - Study of Anode Deactivation Anode Composition
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre Study of Anode Deactivation Methodology: (ChronoAmperometry) e-e- e-e- Anode CoPOs POs GDH PQQ HRP R Cathode Potentiostat An electrochemical measuring technique used for electrochemical analysis or for the determination of the kinetics and mechanism of electrode reactions. FL t [C enz ] 1 + K s + K 2 C s + C Os j = Equation Model
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre The loss of current in the electrode was fast and similar to biofuel cells response Further experiments are needed in order to explain the deactivation. Results I Max Current Density= 1920 µA/cm 2 Glucose
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre We have obtained an electode half life of 2.48 h. and we have demonstrated that in the presence of the PQQ cofactor in the cell, the half life period becomes 30 h. Results II GDH PQQ. GDH + PQQ Max Current Density= 1920 µA/cm 2 Glucose Gluc + PQQ Solut Gluc + H 2 O 2 Gluc + PQQ Surf
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre Conclusions These results suggest that the anode deactivation was produced by the leaching of the PQQ cofactor of enzyme. This anode can produce high values of current density (1920µA cm -2 ) in the electro-oxidation process.
First Part To solve the leaching problem of PQQ in the anode To study the deactivation cathode HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre Second Part To evaluate new polymers and improve the biofuel cell system To evaluate the stability of biofuel cell with optimal anode and cathode Future Work
HEALTHY AIMS PROJECT Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre HEALTHY AIMS project (IST IP) Universitat Rovira i Virgili DINAMIC Applied Biotechnology Innovation Centre Bioengineering & Bioelectrochemistry Group Acknowledgements