Enzymatic fuel cell

• US 20030198859A1
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powerzyme
• Original Assignee: Powerzyme
• Inventors: Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve, Lipp, Steven Alan, Liberatore, Michael James, Ritts, Rosalyn, Whipple, Richard T., Klatskin, Susan, Kaganowicz, Grzegorz, Ippolito, Mary Louise
• Application Number:
  US10/123,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20030198859A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/401
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/00 Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 17/04 entrapped within the carrier, e.g. gel, hollow fibre
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/0004 Oxidoreductases (1.)

Abstract

In one embodiment, provided is a fuel cell with an anode compartment and a cathode compartment comprising: in the anode compartment, an anode electrode and one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C1 compound comprising carbon, oxygen and hydrogen (optionally consisting of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen) to electron carrier(s), and wherein or further comprising one of the following:

(i) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode,

(ii) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the electron transfer mediator(s),

(iii) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to a redox enzyme, the redox enzyme is selected to be effective to deliver electrons to second electron carrier(s), the second electron carrier(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver the electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the redox enzyme, second electron carrier(s) and electron transfer mediator(s);

in the cathode compartment, a cathode electrode which, when a conductive pathway to the first electrode is formed, is effective to convey the electrons to an electron acceptor composition in the 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.

Claims

1. A fuel cell with an anode compartment and a cathode compartment comprising:

in the anode compartment, an anode electrode and one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C₁ compound to electron carrier(s), and wherein or further comprising one of the following;

(i) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode,

(ii) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the electron transfer mediator(s),

(iii) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to a redox enzyme, the redox enzyme is selected to be effective to deliver electrons to second electron carrier(s), the second electron carrier(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver the electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the redox enzyme, second electron carrier(s) and electron transfer mediator(s);

in the cathode compartment, a cathode electrode which, when a conductive pathway to the first electrode is formed, is effective to convey the electrons to an electron acceptor composition in the 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.

2. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein (i) applies.

3. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein (ii) applies.

4. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein (iii) applies.

5. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises a proton-conductive polymeric membrane.

6. The fuel cell of claim 1, comprising the C₁ compound which is methanol or an oxidative product thereof.

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

8. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to oxygen in the cathode compartment.

9. The fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to a solid oxidant in the cathode compartment.

10. A method of producing electrical power comprising:

in an anode compartment, enzymatically reducing electron carrier(s) with electrons from a C₁ compound, the electron carrier(s) selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes;

directly transferring the electrons from the electron carrier(s) to an anode electrode;

transferring electrical current via an electrical conduit under an electrical load to a cathode electrode; and

transferring the electrons from the cathode electrode to an electron acceptor composition.

11. A method of producing electrical power comprising:

in an anode compartment, enzymatically reducing electron carrier(s) with electrons from a C₁ compound, the electron carrier(s) selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes;

directly transferring the electrons from the electron carrier(s) to the electron transfer mediator(s);

transferring the electrons from the electron transfer mediator(s) to the anode electrode;

transferring electrical current via an electrical conduit under an electrical load to a cathode electrode; and

transferring the electrons from the cathode electrode to an electron acceptor composition.

12. A method of producing electrical power comprising:

in an anode compartment, enzymatically reducing electron carrier(s) with electrons from a C₁ compound, the electron carrier(s) selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes;

enzymatically transferring the electrons from the electron carrier(s) to second electron carrier(s);

directly transferring the electrons from the second electron carrier(s) to the electron transfer mediator(s);

transferring electrons from the electron transfer mediator(s) to the anode electrode;

transferring electrical current via an electrical conduit under an electrical load to a cathode electrode; and

transferring electrons from the cathode electrode to an electron acceptor composition.

13. A fuel cell with an anode compartment and a cathode compartment comprising:

in the anode compartment, an anode electrode and electron carrier(s);

in the anode compartment, one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C₁ compound to an electron carrier;

in the cathode compartment, a cathode electrode which, when a conductive pathway to the first electrode is formed, is effective to convey the electrons to an electron acceptor composition in the cathode compartment; and

a barrier separating the anode compartment from the cathode compartment but comprising a proton pumping polypeptide effective to transport protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment.

14. The fuel cell of claim 13, wherein or further comprising one of the following:

(i) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode,

(ii) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the electron transfer mediator(s),

(iii) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to a redox enzyme, the redox enzyme is selected to be effective to deliver electrons to second electron carrier(s), the second electron carrier(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver the electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the redox enzyme, second electron carrier(s) and electron transfer mediator(s),

(iv) the electron carrier(s) are selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes and to be effective to deliver electrons to electron carrier(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to a redox enzyme, the redox enzyme is selected to be effective to deliver the electrons to electron transfer mediator(s) selected to be effective to deliver electrons to the anode electrode, wherein the anode compartment further comprises the redox enzyme and the electron transfer mediator(s).

15. The fuel cell of claim 14, wherein (i) applies.

16. The fuel cell of claim 14, wherein (ii) applies.

17. The fuel cell of claim 14, wherein (iii) applies.

18. The fuel cell of claim 14, wherein (iv) applies.

19. The fuel cell of one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the proton transporting polypeptide is complex I.

20. The fuel cell of claim 19, comprising providing solution conditions in that anode compartment selected to reduce or eliminate NADH dehydrogenase activity in complex I.

21. The fuel cell of one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the barrier comprises a polypeptide integrated into a synthetic biocompatible membrane effective to transport protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment.

22. The fuel cell of claim 21, wherein the proton transporting polypeptide is complex I.

23. The fuel cell of one of claims 21 or 22, wherein the synthetic biocompatible membrane is cross-linked.

24. The fuel cell of claim 13, wherein the C₁ compound is methanol or an oxidative product thereof.

25. The fuel cell of claim 13, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to hydrogen peroxide in the cathode compartment.

26. The fuel cell of claim 13, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to oxygen in the cathode compartment.

27. The fuel cell of claim 13, wherein the cathode electrode is effective to convey the electrons to a solid oxidant in the cathode compartment.

28. A method of producing electrical power comprising:

in an anode compartment, enzymatically reducing electron carrier(s) with electrons from a C₁ compound, the electron carrier(s) selected to operate with the dehydrogenase enzymes;

enzymatically transferring the electrons from the electron carrier(s) to the redox enzyme;

transferring the electrons from the redox enzyme to electron transfer mediator(s);

transferring the electrons from the electron transfer mediator(s) to the anode electrode;

transferring electrical current via an electrical conduit under an electrical load to a cathode electrode; and

transferring the electrons from the cathode electrode to an electron acceptor composition.

29. A method of forming a biocompatible membrane that incorporates a polypeptide associated with the biocompatible membrane comprising:

contacting an aperture with a mixture of polypeptide, membrane-forming amphiphile and an amount of a solvent miscible with water and biomembrane phase effective to decrease viscosity sufficiently to facilitate biocompatible membrane formation; and

removing the solvent by evaporation.

30. A biocompatible membrane comprising a membrane-like barrier formed of triblock copolymer that comprises cross-linked polymer formed across an aperture with beveled edges.

31. The biocompatible membrane of claim 30, wherein the biocompatible membrane incorporates a membrane-associated polypeptide.

32. A method of preserving the function of a polypeptide in the presence of non-aqueous solvents comprising:

forming a solution of block copolymers in a solvent comprising at least one non-aqueous solvent, and

subsequently adding polypeptide to the solution.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising forming a membrane from the solution.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising forming a membrane via solvent evaporation.

35. The method of one of claims 32 to 34, wherein the polypeptide comprises a membrane associated or integral polypeptide.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the polypeptide is complex I.

37. A fuel cell with an anode compartment and a cathode compartment comprising:

in the anode compartment, an anode electrode and one or more dehydrogenase enzymes effective to transfer electrons from a C₁ compound to an electron carrier, the anode compartment further comprising a liquid for supporting the dehydrogenase enzymes and adapted to maintain during operation of the fuel cell a pH of 8.0 or higher;

in the cathode compartment, hydrogen peroxide and a cathode electrode which, when a conductive pathway to the first electrode is formed, is effective to convey the electrons to an electron acceptor composition in the cathode compartment, the anode adapted to maintain during operation of the fuel cell a pH of 5.0 or lower; and

a barrier separating the anode compartment from the cathode but effective to convey protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment.