Maghemite as a catalyst for glucose oxidation in a microfluidic fuel cell

We evaluated the performance of glucose/O-2 fuel cells, constructed as fluidic chips with controllable fuel flow and comprising a maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3) nanoparticle/GO(x)-coated anode and Pt nanoparticles as the cathode. Maghemite is a biocompatible material that mediates electron transfer during glucose oxidation. The open-circuit voltage of the cell was 0.30 V. with a maximum power density of 30 mu W cm(-2) at pH 7.4. The voltage cell and power density were compared with those of other microfluidic fuel cells. During continuous operation, the current density of the cell decreased to 50%, likely due to swelling of the enzyme bilayer. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.