MINIATURE BIOLOGICAL FUEL CELL THAT IS OPERATIONAL UNDER PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND ASSOCIATED DEVICES AND METHODS

• US 20080044721A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Barton, Scott Calabrese, Mano, Nicholas, Kim, Hyug-Han, Zhang, Yongchao, Heller, Adam, Mao, Fei, Chen, Ting
• Granted Patent: US 7,368,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/43
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/26 involving oxidoreductase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/32 involving dehydrogenase
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/723 Glycosylated haemoglobin
• 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 fuel cell is provided with an anode and a cathode. The anode is in electrical communication with an anode enzyme and the cathode is in electrical communication with a cathode enzyme. The anode enzyme is preferably an oxidase or a dehydrogenase. The cathode enzyme is a copper-containing enzyme, such as a laccase, an ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, or a bilirubin oxidase. Preferably, the cathode enzyme is operable under physiological conditions. Redox polymers serve to wire the anode enzyme to the anode and the cathode enzyme to the cathode. The fuel cell can be very small in size because it does not require a membrane, seal, or case. The fuel cell can be used in connection with a biological system, such as a human, as it may operate at physiological conditions. By virtue of its size and operability at physiological conditions, the fuel cell is of particular interest for applications calling for a power source implanted in a human body, such as a variety of medical applications.

Claims

1-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A fuel cell comprising:

an anode and an anode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the anode, the anode electolysis layer comprising an anode enzyme; and

a cathode and a cathode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the cathode, the cathode electrolysis layer comprising a copper-containing cathode enzyme selected from the group consisting of ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, and a bilirubin oxidase,

wherein the fuel cell operates under physiological conditions without a membrane separating the anode and the cathode,

wherein the copper-containing cathode enzyme retains more than 80% of its maximal activity under the physiological conditions.

57. The fuel cell of claim 56, the anode enzyme comprising an oxidase or a dehydrogenase.

58. The fuel cell of claim 56, the anode electrolysis layer further comprising an anode redox polymer that comprises a redox species.

59. The fuel cell of claim 56, the cathode enzyme comprising four copper ions per functional unit thereof.

61. The fuel cell of claim 56, the cathode electrolysis layer further comprising a cathode redox polymer that comprises a redox species.

62. The fuel cell of claim 58, the anode redox polymer comprising a redox hydrogel.

63. The fuel cell of claim 61, the cathode redox polymer comprising a redox hydrogel.

64. The fuel cell of claim 58, the redox species comprising a transition metal compound or complex.

65. The fuel cell of claim 61, the redox species comprising a transition metal compound or complex.

66. The fuel cell of claim 64 or 65, wherein the transition metal is osmium.

67. The fuel cell of claim 56, the anode and the cathode being in a single compartment.

60. (canceled)

68-92. -92. (canceled)

93. A method of detecting a concentration of an analyte in a biological fluid within an animal, comprising providing a sensor of the concentration of the analyte in the biological fluid, a biofuel cell electrically coupled with the sensor, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the biofuel cell.

94. The method of claim 93 further comprising providing trans- or sub-cutaneous contact between the sensor and the biological fluid.

95. The method of claim 94 further comprising transmitting a signal representative of the concentration of the analyte in the biological fluid.

96. The method of claim 95 wherein the biofuel cell comprises an anode and an anode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the anode, the anode electrolysis layer comprising an anode enzyme.

97. The method of claim 96 wherein the biofuel cell further comprises a cathode and a cathode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the cathode.

98. The method of claim 97 wherein the cathode electrolysis layer comprises a copper-containing cathode enzyme.

99. The method of claim 98 wherein the copper-containing cathode enzyme is selected from the group consisting of ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, and a bilirubin oxidase.

100. The method of claim 99 wherein the biofuel cell is substantially flat or planar.

101. The method of claim 100 wherein there is no membrane separating the anode and the cathode.

102. The method of claim 101 wherein there is no compartment housing the anode and the cathode.

103. A method of treating an animal, comprising:

providing a sensor of the level of an analyte in biological fluid, an electrochemical power source electrically coupled with the sensor, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the electrochemical power source.

104. The method of claim 103 wherein the electrochemical power source is a biofuel cell comprising an anode and an anode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the anode, the anode electrolysis layer comprising an anode enzyme.

105. The method of claim 104 wherein the biofuel cell comprises a cathode and a cathode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the cathode.

106. The method of claim 105 wherein the cathode electrolysis layer comprises a copper-containing cathode enzyme.

107. The method of claim 106 wherein the copper-containing cathode enzyme is selected from the group consisting of ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, and a bilirubin oxidase.

108. The method of claim 103 further comprising providing trans- or sub-cutaneous contact between the sensor and the biological fluid.

109. The method of claim 108 further comprising transmitting a signal representative of the concentration of the analyte in the biological fluid.

110. The method of claim 109 further comprising providing a system for trans- or sub cutaneous delivery of a treatment agent from a source thereof in response to the signal;

and

111. The method of claim 110 further comprising delivering the treatment agent.