MICROBIAL ELECTRODE AND FUEL CELL AND SENSOR USING THE SAME

• US 20080138663A1
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nomoto, Tsuyoshi, Kubo, Wataru
• Application Number:
  US11/947,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20080138663A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/2
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 11/16 Enzymes or microbial cells immobilised on or in a biological cell
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 13/00 Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/02 involving viable microorganisms
• 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

The present invention is directed to overcoming a problem of rate-limiting diffusion of a substrate toward an enzyme, which is a constituent of a microorganism, while ensuring proliferation of the microorganism, in a microbial electrode using a microorganism as an electrode catalyst. A microbial electrode is prepared using a microorganism expressing an enzyme on the surface layer of the cell membrane or cell wall thereof.

Claims

1. A microbial electrode comprising an electroconductive member and a microorganism expressing an enzyme serving as an electrode catalyst, wherein the enzyme is expressed on an outer surface layer of cell membrane or cell wall of the microorganism.

2. The microbial electrode according to claim 1, wherein the microorganism has adhesiveness to the electroconductive member, thereby attaching onto a surface of the member.

3. A device comprising the microbial electrode according to claim 1 and an electrolyte solution in contact with the microbial electrode, wherein the electrolyte solution contains a substance required for proliferation of the microorganism of the microbial electrode.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the surface of electroconductive member of the microbial electrode and the electrolyte solution further contains a mediator.

5. A fuel cell using the microbial electrode according to claim 1, as at least one of an anode and a cathode.

6. A sensor comprising the microbial electrode according to claim 1 and a unit for applying voltage or potential to the microbial electrode.