A fully protected hydrogenase/polymer-based bioanode for high-performance hydrogen/glucose biofuel cells

Area of Science:

• Biocatalysis
• Bioelectrochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Hydrogenases are efficient hydrogen oxidation catalysts but are sensitive to deactivation and oxygen.
• Existing protection strategies for hydrogenase-based systems have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fully protected polymer multilayer/hydrogenase bioanode.
• To enhance the stability and performance of hydrogen oxidation catalysts.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a polymer multilayer architecture to embed the hydrogenase.
• Incorporating a low-potential polymer for protection against high-potential deactivation.
• Employing a polymer-supported bienzymatic oxygen removal system.

Main Results:

• The developed bioanode demonstrates protection against high-potential deactivation and oxygen damage.
• The strategy decouples the hydrogenase reaction from the protection mechanism.
• Integration into a hydrogen/glucose biofuel cell yielded a 1.15 V open circuit voltage and 530 µW cm⁻² power density.

Conclusions:

• The polymer multilayer strategy offers robust protection for hydrogenase bioanodes.
• This approach significantly improves the stability and performance of biofuel cells.
• The findings pave the way for advanced bioelectrocatalytic applications.