POROUS ELECTROCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF; ELECTRODE AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF; FUEL CELL AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF; AND ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT, MOBILE MACHINE, ELECTRIC POWER GENERATING SYSTEM, COGENERATION SYSTEM, AND ELECTRODE REACTION-BASED APPARATUS

• US 20070062821A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Atsushi, Sakai, Hideki, Nakagawa, Takaaki, Hatakeyama, Mamoru
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/777.500
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/8684 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/861 with a gradient in the porosity
• 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

A porous electroconductive material is provided. The electroconductive material enables efficient enzymatic metabolic reactions on electrodes and yields electrodes having immobilized enzymes thereon which remain stable in any working environment. The porous electroconductive material, which has a three-dimensional network structure, is formed from a skeleton of porous material and a carbonaceous material covering the surface of the skeleton. The porous material constituting the skeleton is foamed metal or alloy. This porous electroconductive material is made into an electrode, and enzymes are immobilized on this electrode. The resulting electrode with immobilized enzymes thereon is used as the anode of a bio-fuel cell.

Claims

1. A porous electroconductive material comprising

a skeleton of a porous material, and

a material composed mainly of a carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

2. The porous electroconductive material according to claim 1, wherein the porous material has an electrical conductivity characteristic.

3. The porous electroconductive material according to claim 1, wherein the porous material is a metal, an alloy, or a carbonaceous material.

4. The porous electroconductive material according to claim 1, wherein the porous material is foamed metal or foamed alloy.

5. A method for producing a porous electroconductive material, the process comprising:

coating the surface of a skeleton of a porous material at least partly with a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material.

6. An electrode of porous electroconductive material comprising

a skeleton of a porous material, and

a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

7. A method of producing an electrode comprising:

coating the surface of a skeleton of a porous material at least partly with a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material, thereby forming a porous electroconductive material, and

molding the porous electroconductive material into the electrode.

8. A fuel cell comprising:

a cathode;

an anode; and

a proton conductor disposed between the cathode and the anode, at least one of the cathode and the anode being an electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon,

wherein said electrode is an electrode of a porous electroconductive material including a skeleton of a porous material, and a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

9. A method of producing a fuel cell having a cathode, an anode, and a proton conductor disposed therebetween, at least one of the cathode and the anode being an electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon, the method comprising:

coating the surface of a skeleton of a porous material at least partly with a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material, thereby forming a porous electroconductive material,

molding the porous electroconductive material into an electrode, and

immobilizing enzymes on the electrode.

10. An electronic instrument comprising:

a fuel cell having a cathode, an anode, and a proton conductor disposed therebetween, at least one of the cathode and the anode being an electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon,

wherein said electrode is an electrode of a porous electroconductive material including a skeleton of a porous material, and a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

11. A mobile machine comprising:

a fuel cell having a cathode, an anode, and a proton conductor disposed therebetween, at least one of the cathode and the anode being an electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon,

wherein said electrode is an electrode of a porous electroconductive material including a skeleton of a porous material, and a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

12. An electric power generating system comprising:

a fuel cell having a cathode, an anode, and a proton conductor disposed therebetween, at least one of the cathode and the anode being an electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon,

wherein said electrode is an electrode of a porous electroconductive material including a skeleton of a porous material, and a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

13. A cogeneration system comprising:

a fuel cell having a cathode, an anode, and a proton conductor disposed therebetween, at least one of the cathode and the anode being an electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon,

wherein said electrode is an electrode of a porous electroconductive material including a skeleton of a porous material, and a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

14. An electrode reaction-based apparatus comprising:

at least one electrode with immobilized enzymes formed thereon,

wherein said electrode is an electrode of a porous electroconductive material including a skeleton of a porous material, and a material composed mainly of carbonaceous material which covers at least a portion of the skeleton.

15. The electrode reaction-based apparatus according to claim 14, which is any of a fuel cell, a biosensor, and a bioreactor.