Development of a glucose enzyme fuel cell based on thin film electrode using biocatalysts

Abstract

Artificial transplantation of the human body, which requires high technology, has been an attractive issue in the 4th industrial revolution era. The artificial equipment for human applications could contain a small-scale power supply. Enzyme fuel cells (EFCs) that generate green energy are being researched for use as the power supply for pacemakers, insulin pump, and retinal implant in human body. This study focused on an (EFC) using thin film electrodes-based on enzyme immobilization technology. The performance of this EFC was improved by enzyme immobilization and electron transfer. To improve the electron transfer, the GO/Co/chitosan composite was modified on the surface of thin film electrode. The properties of this modified surface of thin film electrode were confirmed by analysis of field emission gun scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The performance of the designed EFC was optimized with immobilized redox enzyme on the modified electrode. The highest power density and voltage are determined as 441.48 µW/cm² and − 0.443 V by thin film electrode, respectively. The optimum conditions of the EFC were 0.1 M D-glucose, 0.1 g/L glucose oxidase, pH 7.0, and reaction time of 4 h for both two types of thin film-electrodes.