Biological fuel cell and methods

• US 7,998,624 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2010
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heller, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener; Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS, MONIQUE M
• Application Number:
  US12/876,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 429/401, 429/403, 429/404, 429/405
• US Class Current: 429/401
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9008 Organic or organo-metallic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell has an anode and a cathode with anode enzyme disposed on the anode and cathode enzyme is disposed on the cathode. The anode is configured and arranged to electrooxidize an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme. Likewise, the cathode is configured and arranged to electroreduce a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme. In addition, anode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the anode to transduce a current between the anode and the anode enzyme and cathode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the cathode to transduce a current between the cathode and the cathode enzyme.

Claims

1. A method of generating electrical power in a biological system, comprising:

inserting an anode and a cathode into the biological system, wherein the biological system comprises oxygen and wherein oxygen is present at the anode and cathode;

electrooxidizing an anode reductant on the anode; and

electroreducing a cathode oxidant on the cathode,

wherein the anode reductant is glucose and the cathode oxidant is oxygen.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein inserting the anode and the cathode into the biological system comprises subcutaneously positioning at least a portion of the anode and the cathode in a subject.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein electroreducing a cathode oxidant on the cathode comprises electroreducing oxygen on a cathode comprising platinum.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein electroreducing a cathode oxidant on the cathode comprises electroreducing oxygen on the cathode in the presence of an enzyme and a polymer comprising a mediator chemically bonded to the polymer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein electrooxidizing an anode reductant on the anode comprises electrooxidizing the anode reductant on the anode in the presence of an enzyme and a polymer comprising a mediator chemically bonded to the polymer.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the enzyme is a glucose-responsive enzyme.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the glucose-responsive enzyme is glucose oxidase or glucose dehydrogenase.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the glucose-responsive enzyme further comprises an enzyme cofactor.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the enzyme cofactor is pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).

10. The method according claim 5, wherein the mediator comprises a transition metal complex.

11. The method according claim 10, wherein the transition metal complex comprises ruthenium or osmium.

12. The method according claim 5, wherein the polymer comprises at least one heterocyclic nitrogen-containing moiety selected from the group consisting of pyridine, imidazole, oxazole, thiazole, pyrazole, and any derivative thereof.

13. The method according claim 5, wherein the polymer comprises at least one heterocyclic nitrogen-containing moiety selected from the group consisting of 2-vinylpyridine, 3-vinylpyridine, 4-vinylpyridine, 1-vinylimidazole, 2-vinylimidazole and 4-vinylimidazole.

14. The method according claim 5, wherein the mediator is covalently bonded to the polymer.

15. The method according claim 5, wherein the mediator forms one or more of carbon-carbon, carbon-nitrogen, or metal-carbon covalent bonds with the polymer.

16. The method according claim 14, wherein the mediator is covalently bonded to the polymer through one or more ligands of the mediator.

17. The method according claim 16, wherein the one or more ligands comprises a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic nitrogen-containing moiety.

18. The method according claim 16, wherein one or more ligands of the mediator are substituents of the polymer backbone.

19. The method according claim 5, wherein the polymer is crosslinked.

20. The method according claim 19, wherein the mediator is crosslinked with the polymer.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein one or more ligands of the mediator are crosslinkers of the polymer.

22. The method according to claim 5, wherein the polymer forms a coordination complex with the mediator.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein one or more nitrogen-containing moieties of the polymer forms a coordination complex with the transition metal of the mediator.