Microbial fuel cell with flexible substrate and micro-pillar structure

• US 7,976,968 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sweet Power Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sweet Power Inc.
• Inventors: Chiao, Mu, Siu, Billy
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan; Dah-Wei D
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCULLY, STEVEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/522,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20070059565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 429 12- 46, 429/2
• US Class Current: 429/2
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/90 Selection of catalytic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0234 Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0239 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0245 in the form of layered or coated products
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/026 characterised by grooves, e.g. their pitch or depth
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/22 Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements; Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising only elements other than carbon, oxygen or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A microbial fuel cell includes a bio-compatible body having a micro-pillar structure defining an anode compartment adapted to contain a catalyst that metabolizes glucose to generate electrons and protons. A nano-porous membrane prevents loss of the catalyst from the anode compartment, while providing fluid access for ingress of glucose fuel and egress of waste.

Claims

1. A microbial fuel cell comprising:

a bio-compatible first body made from a flexible polymeric material having a micro-pillar structure, and a conducting layer laminated onto the flexible polymeric material defining a cathode;

a bio-compatible second body being made from a flexible polymeric material having a micro-pillar structure with a conducting layer laminated onto the flexible polymeric material defining an anode compartment for containing a catalyst that metabolizes glucose to generate electrons and protons; and

a nano-porous membrane preventing loss of the catalyst from the anode compartment, while providing fluid access for ingress of glucose fuel and egress of waste.

2. A method of fabricating a microbial fuel cell having a micro-pillar structure, including:

forming a mold for an anode micro-pillar structure in a silicon substrate;

coating the mold with a sacrificial gold film with a deposition rate of less than 2 A/sec;

distributing a thin layer of bio-compatible polymeric materials into the mold;

curing the polymeric materials;

forming conducting electrodes and fluid access ports on the polymeric materials;

assembling the anode micro-pillar structure with a cathode and a proton exchange membrane;

placing a catalyst that metabolizes glucose within the anode micro-pillar structure;

covering the fluid access ports with a nano-porous membrane adapted to prevent loss of the catalyst while facilitating fluid access through the fluid access ports for the ingress of glucose fuel and egress of waste.