A novel biofuel cell based on electrospun collagen-carbon nanotube nanofibres

The paper demonstrates a novel glucose/O2 biofuel cell (BFC) based on the electrospun collagen-SWNTs nanofibres with the glucose oxidase (GOD) as the anodic biocatalysts and the laccase as the cathodic biocatalysts. With an average diameter of about (260±95) nm, the electrospun collagen-SWNTs nanofibres exhibited smooth surfaces. The collagen-SWNTs nanofibres modified electrode showed good electron transfer behavior, because of the properties of SWNTs and the three-dimensional reticular structure of the electrospun nanofibers. The GOD and laccase, immobilized in the collagen-SWNTs nanofibres, exhibited good catalytic activity towards glucose oxidation and oxygen reduction through mediators of ferrocene monocarboxylic acid (FMCA) and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), respectively. The maximum power density of the assembled glucose/O2 BFC based on the electrospun collagen-SWNTs nanofibres was ca. 14.3 μW/cm2. Moreover, more than 50% of the initial value remained after continuous operation of 100 h. The results indicated the potential to apply the electrospun collagen-SWNTs nanofibres for novel BFC device.