Collaborative Research: Tailoring nano- and micro-porous catalytic surfaces for microfluidic biofuel cells

犹他大学的Shelley D. Minteer教授和加州大学圣地亚哥分校的Joseph Wang教授在化学系化学催化项目的支持下，开发了纳米构建块的三维结构，用于酶生物燃料电池的支撑和电流收集器。将使用多孔碳材料或模板微通道构建宏观和微观孔隙结构相结合并独立控制的分级催化剂载体。所提出的结构将用作传统生物燃料电池和微流体通道内生物燃料电池的电极。生物燃料电池阳极将利用一对NADH依赖的脱氢酶（乳酸脱氢酶和丙酮酸脱氢酶），以乳酸为燃料，并在纳米多孔金属层的内表面使用NADH回收电催化剂聚合物层，以促进NADH在层内的氧化还原化学。这项工作将集中在电极的结构和活性上，并将寻求这些催化剂支持结构如何与改善的生物电极性能相关联的见解。目前的酶生物燃料电池受到酶利用率低的阻碍，而所提出的纳米结构电极设计有望缓解这一缺陷，并提高将燃料的化学能转化为电能的电流/功率密度。该项目将为研究生和本科生提供培训，并通过pi参与各种外联活动，吸引来自代表性不足的少数民族的学生。

Professor Shelley D. Minteer of the University of Utah and Professor Joseph Wang of the University of California-San Diego are supported by the Chemical Catalysis Program in the Division of Chemistry to develop three-dimensional structures of nano building blocks to be used as supports and current collectors for enzymatic biofuel cells. Hierarchical catalyst supports in which macroscopic and microscopic pore structures are combined and independently controlled will be constructed using either porous carbon materials or templated microchannels. The proposed structures will be used as electrodes in conventional biofuel cells and in biofuel cells within microfluidic channels. The biofuel cell anodes will utilize a pair of NAD-dependent dehydrogenases (lactate and pyruvate dehydrogenase) with lactate as fuel, and with an NADH-recycling electrocatalyst polymer layer on the interior surface of the nanoporous metal layer to facilitate NADH redox chemistry within the layer. The work will focus on electrode structure and activity and will seek insights into how these catalyst support structures can correlate with improved bioelectrode performance. Current enzymatic biofuel cells are hampered by poor enzyme utilization, and the proposed nanostructured electrode design promises to alleviate this deficiency and improve the current/power density for the conversion of chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy. The project will provide training for graduate and undergraduate and engage students from underrepresented minorities through the involvement of the PIs in a variety of outreach activities.