Abstract As lactate is a useful biomarker for evaluating conditions of the body and also has a high theoretical energy density as a fuel, enzymatic biofuel cells (BFCs) that utilize… Click to show full abstract
Abstract As lactate is a useful biomarker for evaluating conditions of the body and also has a high theoretical energy density as a fuel, enzymatic biofuel cells (BFCs) that utilize lactate as a fuel have received considerable attention. In this study, we have developed a high-power lactate/O 2 BFC that comprises composite electrodes made from carbon cloth as a current collector and MgO-templated porous carbon as an electroenzymatic reaction field and enzyme support. The bioanode contains lactate oxidase as an enzyme and 1-methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methylsulfate as a redox mediator. The biocathode contains bilirubin oxidase as an oxygen reduction electrocatalyst and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) as a mediator. To obtain an efficient gas diffusion biocathode, the hydrophobicity of the carbon cloth is modulated by modification with PTFE. The lactate/O 2 BFC shows a maximum power density of 4.3 mW cm −2 at a lactate concentration of 300 mM. This high performance is promising for the development of BFCs for wearable applications.
               
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