Enzymatic fuel cell with fixed dehydrogenase enzyme

• US 20030087144A1
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powerzyme
• Original Assignee: Powerzyme
• Inventors: Kaganowicz, Grzegorz, Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve, Tian, Yongchi, Lipp, Steven Alan, Ritts, Rosalyn, Whipple, Richard T., Klatskin, Susan
• Application Number:
  US10/123,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20030087144A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/43
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9008 Organic or organo-metallic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0662 Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1009 with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/103 having nitrogen, e.g. sulfonated polybenzimidazoles [S-PBI], polybenzimidazoles with phosphoric acid, sulfonated polyamides [S-PA] or sulfonated polyphosphazenes [S-PPh]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1044 Mixtures of polymers, of which at least one is ionically conductive
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1051 Non-ion-conducting additives, e.g. stabilisers, SiO2 or ZrO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/106 characterised by the chemical composition of the porous support
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1072 by chemical reactions, e.g. insitu polymerisation or insitu crosslinking
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Additionally provided is a fuel cell with an anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a barrier separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment but effective to convey protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment, comprising in the anode compartment, one or more anode electrodes and, one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C1 compound to electron carrier(s), wherein one or more of the said enzyme(s) are covalently linked to surface(s) within the anode compartment. Also provided is a fuel cell with an anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a barrier separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment but effective to convey protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment, comprising in the anode compartment, one or more anode electrodes and, one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C1 compound to electron carrier(s), wherein one or more of the said enzyme(s) are covalently linked to a polymer matrix within the anode compartment. When the dehydrogenase enzymes are covalently linked within the anode compartment, useful surfaces include: the anode/cathode barrier, one or more of the anode electrodes, beads or gels in the anode compartment, anode walls and fuel feeding membrane(s).

Claims

1. A fuel cell with an anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a barrier separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment but effective to convey protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment, comprising in the anode compartment, one or more anode electrodes and, one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C1 compound to electron carrier(s), wherein one or more of the said enzyme(s) are covalently linked to surface(s) within the anode compartment.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the C₁ compound is methanol or an oxidative product thereof..

3. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises proton pumping polypeptide which can be a redox enzyme that can receive electrons from the electron carrier(s).

4. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to hydrogen peroxide in the cathode compartment.

5. A fuel cell with an anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a barrier separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment but effective to convey protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment, comprising in the anode compartment, one or more anode electrodes and, one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C1 compound to electron carrier(s), wherein one or more of the said enzyme(s) are covalently linked to a polymer matrix within the anode compartment.

6. The fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the C₁ compound is methanol or an oxidative product thereof.

7. The fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the barrier comprises proton pumping polypeptide which can be a redox enzyme that can receive electrons from the electron carrier(s).

8. The fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to hydrogen peroxide in the cathode compartment.