A 3D-printed microfluidic fuel cell with innovative multichannel structure for enhanced energy harvesting

The architecture design of MFCs is pivotal for fuel transport and utilization, thus necessitating the development of straightforward and adaptable fabrication techniques. This work employs the straightforward editing and rapid prototyping capabilities of 3D printing to develop a MFC with multi-channel structural geometries that can be internally cascaded, thereby reducing the complexity of the device and enhancing its overall performance and reliability. Pt/C-modified carbon cloth was produced as an anode and characterized by microscopically studies and elemental mapping, which substantiated a uniform distribution of the catalyst loading. In an alkaline environment, a glucose‑oxygen electrolyte undergoes a redox reaction at the catalytic electrode, which is observed and recorded using an electrochemical workstation. The single-cell microfluidic fuel cell (S-MFC) exhibited a performance comparable to enzyme biofuel cells, with an open-circuit potential of 0.46 V and maximum power density of 213 μW/cm². The anode of one cell is connected to the cathode of the other cell via a carbon film, and this connection is then repeated to form a multi-stage series microfluidic fuel cell (M-MFC). The M-MFC demonstrated a significant performance improvement of 24 %, achieving a voltage of 0.87 V and a power density of 265 μW/cm². Finally, a printed circuit board (PCB) was designed and fabricated aimed at harvesting and boosting the voltage of cell to power conventional electronic components. The as-proposed MFC significantly advances the field of energy harvesting for portable electronic devices.