A microfabricated narrow gap biofuel cell with membraneless design flexibility

Abstract

This paper presents the development and characterization of a microfabricated membraneless biofuel cell on a polymer microfluidic chip. The developed microscale biofuel cell utilizes glucose as fuel to generate bioelectric power and produces water as by-product. The developed biofuel cell exhibits a power output (power density up to 4.66 /spl mu/W/cm/sup 2/) which can be modulated by the electrode separation. The absence of a proton exchange membrane separating the anode and cathode chambers imparts high design flexibility to the developed biofuel cell. The biofuel cell has been tested for operation in physiological levels of pH and temperature, with both flowing and static fuel conditions. Due to its relatively wide range of operational temperature and stability in flowing fuel conditions, coupled with its harmless by-products and absence of any toxic reagents, renders it highly appropriate for applications in microfluidic, implantable, and portable systems.