Highly efficient enzymatic bioanodes and biocathodes

• US 10,050,296 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UNM Rainforest Innovations (f/k/a STC.UNM) (The University of New Mexico)
• Original Assignee: UNM Rainforest Innovations (f/k/a STC.UNM) (The University of New Mexico)
• Inventors: Babanova, Sofiya Malinova, Atanassov, Plamen B
• Primary Examiner(s): Laios, Maria
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carrico, Robert S
• Application Number:
  US14/760,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20150364784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/90 Selection of catalytic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9008 Organic or organo-metallic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A biofuel cell comprising an anode and cathode wherein biocatalytic enzymes are purposefully oriented at each side of the fuel cell so as to increase and/or optimize the enzymes'"'"' performance in catalysis and/or electron transfer.

Claims

1. An electrode comprising a catalytic enzyme tethering agent and a catalytic enzyme orienting agent presented on the electrode surface wherein the orienting agent is selected from the group consisting of:

1H-Pyrrole-1-propionic acid, Pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde, 2,5-Dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carbaldehyde, 5,5′

-(2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydronaphthalene-2,7-diyl)bis(1h-pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde), and Tetraethyl 1,1′

-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2,5-dimethyl-1h-pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate).

2. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the electrode is a cathode.

3. The electrode of claim 1 further comprising a catalytic enzyme tethered to the surface via the tethering agent and oriented via the orienting agent.

4. The electrode of claim 3 wherein the catalytic enzyme is selected from the group consisting of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent enzymes and multi-copper oxidases (MCOs).

5. The electrode of claim 4 wherein the electrode is a cathode and the catalytic enzyme is an MCO.

6. The electrode of claim 5 wherein the MCO is bilirubin oxidase.

7. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the orienting agent is 1H-Pyrrole-1-propionic acid.

8. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the orienting agent is Pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde.

9. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the orienting agent is 5,5′

-(2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydronaphthalene-2,7-diyl)bis(1h-pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde).

10. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the orienting agent is Tetraethyl 1,1′

-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2,5-dimethyl-1h-pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate).

11. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the orienting agent is 2,5-Dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carbaldehyde.

12. A biofuel cell comprising:

an anode comprising a support having a surface, wherein the surface presents;

a catalytic enzyme tethering agent; and

a catalytic enzyme orienting agent;

a cathode comprising a support having a surface, wherein the surface presents;

a catalytic enzyme tethering agent; and

a catalytic enzyme orienting agent selected from the group consisting of;

1H-Pyrrole-1-propionic acid, Pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde, 2,5-Dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carbaldehyde, 5,5′

-(2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydronaphthalene-2,7-diyl)bis(1h-pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde), and Tetraethyl 1,1′

-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2,5-dimethyl-1h-pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate).

13. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the anode further comprises a catalytic enzyme immobilized to the anode support and oriented by the orienting agent.

14. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the cathode further comprises a catalytic enzyme immobilized to the anode support and oriented by the orienting agent.

15. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the orienting agent in the cathode is 1H-Pyrrole-1-propionic acid.

16. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the orienting agent in the cathode is Pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde.

17. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the orienting agent in the cathode is 5,5′

-(2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydronaphthalene-2,7-diyl)bis(1 h-pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde).

18. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the orienting agent in the cathode is Tetraethyl 1,1′

-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2,5-dimethyl-1h-pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate).

19. The biofuel cell of claim 12 wherein the orienting agent is 2,5-Dimethyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carbaldehyde.