Enzymatic fuel cell with membrane bound redox enzyme

• US 20050266290A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powerzyme
• Original Assignee: Powerzyme
• Inventors: Sun, Hoi-Cheong Steve, Lipp, Steven Alan, Whipple, Richard T., Klatskin, Susan
• Application Number:
  US11/111,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266290A1
• 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: 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

Still further provided is a fuel cell with an anode compartment and a cathode compartment comprising: in the anode compartment, an anode electrode and, integrated into biocompatible membrane tethered to the anode electrode, a redox enzyme that can receive electrons from 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 effective to convey protons from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment.

Claims

1. A biocompatible membrane, comprising:

a block copolymer matrix simulating a natural biological membrane and natural protein environment; and

membrane proteins incorporated into said matrix to form a membrane/protein composite.

2. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the membrane/protein composite composes a device which has the function of the incorporated membrane proteins.

3. The membrane of claim 2, wherein the protein functions include valves, channels, sensors, detectors, pumps and energy transducers.

4. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane proteins are selected to transport a specific species across said membrane.

5. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said matrix is formed from tri-block copolymer.

6. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said matrix is impermeable to a selected species, and wherein said membrane proteins are selected to permit passage of said species across said membrane.

7. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane proteins are natural biological proteins.

8. The membrane of claim 7, wherein two different membrane proteins are incorporated into said matrix.

9. The membrane of claim 8, wherein said membrane proteins are energy converting proteins.

10. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said membrane protein is cytochrome oxidase.

11. The membrane of claim 1, further including first and second electrodes on opposite surfaces of said matrix.

12. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said matrix is a biocompatible polymer impermeable to protons.

13. A hybrid organic/inorganic power source, comprising:

a copolymer matrix; and

first and second different membrane proteins embedded in said matrix.

14. The power source of claim 13, wherein said membrane proteins are natural biological proteins.

15. The power source of claim 14, further including electrodes on opposed surfaces of said matrix.

16. A method of fabricating a biological membrane, comprising:

fabricating a block copolymer matrix; and

inserting in said matrix natural or genetically engineered membrane proteins.

17. The method of claim 16, further including orienting said membrane proteins in said matrix.

18. The method of claim 16, further including selecting said proteins to produce a corresponding membrane functionality.

19. The method of claim 16, further including inserting in said matrix two different membrane proteins.