Biological fuel cell and method
AssigneeTheraSense, Inc.
InventorAdam Heller
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims29
A fuel cell comprising:
- an anode;
- anode enzyme disposed on the anode, the anode being configured and arranged for electroxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme;
- a cathode spaced apart from the anode;
- and
- cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme.
A fuel cell comprising:
- an anode;
- anode redox polymer disposed on the anode;
- anode enzyme disposed on the anode and in contact with the anode redox polymer, the anode being configured and arranged for electrooxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme;
- a cathode spaced apart from the anode;
- cathode redox polymer disposed on the cathode;
- and
- cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode and contacting the cathode redox polymer, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme.
A method of generating electrical power, comprising:
- electrooxidizing an anode reductant on an anode in the presence of an anode enzyme;
- and
- electroreducing a cathode oxidant on a cathode, spaced apart form the anode, in the presence of a cathode enzyme.
A method of generating electrical power, comprising:
- inserting a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode into a biological system;
- electrooxidizing a biochemical in the biological system at the anode and in the presence of a anode enzyme disposed on the anode;
- and
- electroreducing oxygen at the cathode in the presence of a cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode.
An electrically-operated device comprising:
- electrically-operated components;
- and
- a fuel cell coupled to the electrically-operated components for providing electrical power to the electrically-operated components, the fuel cell being configured for operation in a biological system and comprising
- an anode;
- anode enzyme disposed on the anode, the anode being configured and arranged for electroxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme;
- a cathode spaced apart from the anode;
- cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme;
- and
- leads from the anode and the cathode for coupling to the electrically-operated components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.