Fabrication of a membrane-less non-enzymatic glucose-air fuel cell with graphene-cobalt oxide nanocomposite anode and Fe, N-doped biomass carbon cathode

Abiotic glucose air fuel cell possess higher durability and power density than its enzyme-based counterparts, thereby offering new paradigms towards their commercialization. Till date, noble metal electrocatalysts dominate the area of abiotic glucose-air fuel cells. We here provide the synthetic strategy to develop highly efficient non-noble metal based carbonaceous hybrid structures as both anode and cathode catalysts in the fuel cell. The anode catalyst for glucose oxidation, consists of Co3O4 nanoparticles supported on three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide networks, directly grown on a nickel foam substrate (Co3O4-3DrGO/Nif) via coelectrodeposition. On the other hand, nitrogen and iron doped biowaste derived activated carbon (N,Fe-PSAC) material, synthesized via simple pyrolysis technique is employed as a cathode for oxygen reduction reaction. Excellent O-2-insensitivity and glucose tolerance are observed for Co3O4-3DrGO/Nif and N,Fe-PSAC, respectively in the experimental electrolyte, 0.1 M KOH under air atmosphere. Therefore, a single compartment fuel cell, without any separator, containing only 10 mM glucose is developed with these electrodes. The as-fabricated cell exhibits an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.442 V and delivers the highest power delivery of 12.81 mu W cm(-2). Such low-cost abiotic glucose-air fuel cell has tremendous scope to be optimized and miniaturized for real-time applications as alternative power sources.