Glucose/O2 biofuel cell based on enzymes, redox mediators, and Multiple-walled carbon nanotubes deposited by AC-electrophoresis then stabilized by electropolymerized polypyrrole

In this study, we developed an automated strategy to manufacture an enzyme BFC powered by glucose/O2. The bioanode consists of GOx enzyme and PQQ redox mediator adsorbed over night on MWCNTs then deposited by means of AC-electrophoresis at 30?Hz and 160?Vpp and, finally stabilized by electropolymerized polypyrrole. The biocathode is constructed from LAc enzyme and ABTS redox mediator adsorbed over night on MWCNTs, then electrophoretically deposited under AC-electric field at 30?Hz and 160?Vpp and, finally stabilized by electrodeposited polypyrrole. The BFC was studied under air in phosphate buffer solution pH 7.4 containing 10?mM glucose and in human serum with 5?mM glucose addition at the physiological temperature of 37 degrees C. Under these conditions, the maximum power density reaches 1.1 mu W center dot mm-2 at a cell voltage of 0.167?V in buffer solution and 0.69 mu W center dot mm-2 at cell voltage of 0.151?V in human serum. Such automated BFCs have a great potential to be optimized, miniaturized to micro and nanoscale devices suitable for in vivo studies. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:16011609. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.