Biofuel Cells with Switchable Power Output

Abstract

Biofuel cells with a switchable power output controlled by external physical or chemical signals were developed. The switchable properties of biofuel cells were achieved by modification of biocatalytic electrodes with signal-responsive materials sensitive to various stimuli triggering reversible transition of the electrode interfaces between electrochemically active and inactive states. Electrical, magnetic and biochemical signals were used as stimuli controlling the electrode activity. Biochemical systems of various complexity mimicking Boolean logic operations AND/OR as well as multienzyme/multilogic gates networks were functionally coupled with the pH-sensitive electrodes in the biofuel cell. This allowed switching ON and OFF the power production in the biofuel cell upon application of many different biochemical signals logically processed by the enzyme systems according to the built-in logic ‘program’. The studied switchable biofuel cells controlled by electric, magnetic and biochemical signals exemplify novel bioelectronic devices activated by external signals on-demand. They open a new facet in the multidisciplinary field of bioelectronics and keep a big promise for practical applications, particularly as implantable sustainable energy sources for biomedical applications. The present paper gives a short overview of various switchable/tunable biofuel cells with the power production controlled by external signals.