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

• US 20080118782A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• 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, Mao, Fei, Chen, Ting, Mano, Nicholas, Kim, Hyug-Han, Zhang, Yongchao, HELLER, ADAM
• Granted Patent: US 8,759,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/2
• 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 lacasse, 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

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A fuel cell comprising:

an anode, an anode redox polymer, and an anode enzyme, in electrical communication; and

a cathode, a cathode redox polymer, and a copper-containing cathode enzyme, in electrical communication.

27. The fuel cell of claim 26, the cathode enzyme comprising four copper ions per functional unit thereof.

28. The fuel cell of claim 26, the cathode enzyme comprising a laccase, an ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, or a bilirubin oxidase.

29. The fuel cell of claim 26, wherein each of the potential differences between the anode and the anode redox polymer, the anode redox polymer and the anode enzyme, the cathode and the cathode redox polymer, the cathode redox polymer and the cathode enzyme, is from about 10 mV to about 200 mV.

30-92. -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.