Fuel cell, electronic device, movable body, power generation system, and congeneration system

• US 7,955,741 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tokita, Yuichi, Sato, Atsushi, Tomita, Takashi, Sakai, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohaddes; Ladan
• Application Number:
  US11/570,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 429/2, 429/401
• US Class Current: 429/401
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8846 Impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9008 Organic or organo-metallic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9083 on carbon or graphite
• 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 which can directly extract electric power from a polysaccharide, such as starch, is provided. A fuel electrode is formed by immobilizing with an immobilizer, on an electrode comprised of, e.g., carbon, an enzyme responsible for decomposing a polysaccharide into monosaccharides, an enzyme responsible for decomposing the monosaccharide formed, a coenzyme (e.g., NAD⁺ or NADP⁺) which forms a reductant due to the oxidation reaction in the monosaccharide decomposition process, a coenzyme oxidase (e.g., diaphorase) for oxidizing the reductant of the coenzyme (e.g., NADH or NADPH), and an electron mediator (e.g., ACNQ or vitamin K3) for receiving electrons generated due to the oxidation of the coenzyme from the coenzyme oxidase and delivering the electrons to the electrode. The fuel cell comprises the fuel electrode and the air electrode that sandwich an electrolyte layer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a fuel cell for generating electric power by decomposing a fuel using an enzyme, the fuel comprising a polysaccharide, and the enzyme comprising a decomposing enzyme for promoting decomposition of the polysaccharide to form a monosaccharide and an oxidase for promoting oxidation of the monosaccharide formed to decompose the monosaccharide, wherein the fuel and the enzyme are selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the fuel comprising maltose, and the enzyme comprising α

-glucosidase and glucose dehydrogenase;

(b) the fuel comprising sucrose, and the enzyme comprising sucrase and glucose dehydrogenase; and

(c) the fuel comprising lactose, and the enzyme comprising β

-galactosidase and glucose dehydrogenase.

2. An electronic device comprising a fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell generates electric power by decomposing a fuel using an enzyme, the fuel comprising a polysaccharide, and the enzyme comprising a decomposing enzyme for promoting decomposition of the polysaccharide to form a monosaccharide and an oxidase for promoting oxidation of the monosaccharide formed to decompose the monosaccharide, wherein the fuel and the enzyme are selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the fuel comprising maltose, and the enzyme comprising α

-glucosidase and glucose dehydrogenase;

(b) the fuel comprising sucrose, and the enzyme comprising sucrase and glucose dehydrogenase; and

(c) the fuel comprising lactose, and the enzyme comprising β

-galactosidase and glucose dehydrogenase.

3. A movable body comprising a fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell generates electric power by decomposing a fuel using an enzyme, the fuel comprising a polysaccharide, and the enzyme comprising a decomposing enzyme for promoting decomposition of the polysaccharide to form a monosaccharide and an oxidase for promoting oxidation of the monosaccharide formed to decompose the monosaccharide, wherein the fuel and the enzyme are selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the fuel comprising maltose, and the enzyme comprising α

-glucosidase and glucose dehydrogenase;

(b) the fuel comprising sucrose, and the enzyme comprising sucrase and glucose dehydrogenase; and

(c) the fuel comprising lactose, and the enzyme comprising β

-galactosidase and glucose dehydrogenase.

4. A power generation system comprising a fuel cell, wherein the fuel the cell generates electric power by decomposing a fuel using an enzyme, the fuel comprising a polysaccharide, and the enzyme comprising a decomposing enzyme for promoting decomposition of the polysaccharide to form a monosaccharide and an oxidase for promoting oxidation of the monosaccharide formed to decompose the monosaccharide, wherein the fuel and the enzyme are selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the fuel comprising maltose, and the enzyme comprising α

-glucosidase and glucose dehydrogenase;

(b) the fuel comprising sucrose, and the enzyme comprising sucrase and glucose dehydrogenase; and

(c) the fuel comprising lactose, and the enzyme comprising β

-galactosidase and glucose dehydrogenase.

5. A cogeneration system comprising a fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell generates electric power by decomposing a fuel using an enzyme, the fuel comprising a polysaccharide, and the enzyme comprising a decomposing enzyme for promoting decomposition of the polysaccharide to form a monosaccharide and an oxidase for promoting oxidation of the monosaccharide formed to decompose the monosaccharide, wherein the fuel and the enzyme are selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the fuel comprising maltose, and the enzyme comprising α

-glucosidase and glucose dehydrogenase;

(b) the fuel comprising sucrose, and the enzyme comprising sucrase and glucose dehydrogenase; and

(c) the fuel comprising lactose, and the enzyme comprising β

-galactosidase and glucose dehydrogenase.