Alcohol Biofuel Cells Show Promise
Scientists from Saint Louis (LA) University Showcased a new type of biofuel cell that runs off of alcohol and enzymes at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society earlier this year.
“These results show the applicability of biofuel cell technology and help move the research from a purely academic endeavor to a more practical technology,” said Shelley Minteer, an assistant professor of chemistry at Saint Louis University who presented the research.
The only items consumed in a biofuel cell are the fuel and oxygen from the air, Minteer explained.
“Given the proper environment, an enzyme should last for long periods of time,” Minteer said. “It is creating this environment in a fuel cell that researchers have struggled with for years.”
Enzymes are extremely sensitive to changes in pH and temperature, Minteer explained, and even slight departures from ideal conditions can lead to inactivation of the enzymes, which produces a short supply of power.
The scientists coated the electrodes with a polymer that has specially tailored pores, giving the enzyme “everything it needs to function for a very long period of time instead of denaturing like it normally would,” Minteer said.
Unlike other biofuel cells that have used methanol as a fuel, the scientists opted for ethanol because the corn-based fuel supports more enzyme activity, is abundant and inexpensive to manufacture.
Minteer said that with “proper optimization” the biofuel cells could last up to a month without recharging.
The researchers are focusing on small scale applications, with the initial fuel cells being no bigger than the size of a postage stamp.
The group tested some 30 to 50 of the ethanol cells and have successfully run them with vodka, gin, white wine and flat beer.
Provided by theEnvironmental News Service.