Biofuel cell (BFC) devices —‘green’ energy-harvesting devices— can be used as new personalized devices, including self-powered biosensors and energy sources. Advanced wearable sensors can noninvasively screen biomarkers (e.g., available in sweat), while swallowable electronics can monitor physiology with special competences to directly access the gastrointestinal tract. Nevertheless, regardless of applications, bioelectronics requires sustainable energy sources. The grand challenge in the field is expanding the spectrum of practical features of BFCs for biomedical technologies. Advantageously, BFCs employed as self-powered biosensors can simplify overall systems by minimalizing energy-consuming units, enabling the miniaturization of biosensors that traditional devices cannot achieve. We have initiated textile-based BFCs as stretchable self-powered sensors that can autonomously harvest the electricity from perspiration and use this electricity itself to display metabolite levels (i.e., glucose and lactate). This first successful demonstration of sock-based self-powered sensors with real-time wireless communication is expected to step further the progress of skin-worn energy-harvesting systems, noninvasive sensors, and smart textiles. Moreover, we have exemplified the first fully edible ethanol BFC, based merely on biocompatible mushroom/plant extracts and food-based materials without any additional external mediators. These ingestible energy-harvesting BFCs represent promising opportunities for modernizing biosensors and bioelectronics for the use in the digestive system. Furthermore, the key challenges of BFCs including oxygen dependency will be discussed. For instance, we have addressed the oxygen limitations by using an oxygen-rich cathode material to supply the internal oxygen for the BFC cathodic reaction. Therefore, the effect of fluctuating oxygen levels during the operation of glucose/oxygen BFC can be mitigated. Understanding challenges and opportunities are significant to revolutionize BFCs for diverse applications, such as cutting-edge wearable, ingestible, and biomedical technologies.

Biofuel cells for personalized biosensors and bioelectronics

2019 Fall National Meeting

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