A biofuel cell with a single-walled carbon nanohorn-based bioanode operating at physiological condition

Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWNHs), a new type of carbon nanomaterials, possess excellent catalytic properties, high-purity, and low toxicities, which make them suitable for bioelectrochemical application. Here a biofuel cell anode has been developed by using SWNHs as the support for redox mediator and biocatalyst for the first time. Cyclic voltammetric results show SWNHs promotes the electropolymerization of methylene blue (MB) and the resulted nanocomposite (poly MB-SWNHs) exhibits prominent catalytic ability to the oxidation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Glucose dehydrogenase was then immobilized on the poly MB-SWNHs modified electrode for the oxidation of glucose. Employing Pt nanoparticles supported on functionalized TiO₂ colloidal spheres with nanoporous surface as cathode catalyst, the as-assembled glucose/O₂ biofuel cell operate at the physiological condition with good performance.