High performance non-enzymatic graphene-based glucose fuel cell operated under moderate temperatures and a neutral solution

In this study, a non-enzyme glucose fuel cell is assembled and shows high energy density in neutral solution at moderate temperature. The anodic material, graphene sheets grafted with platinum and palladium (PtPd/G), is prepared by polyol method to oxidize glucose. The cathode material, nitrogen-doped graphene oxide nanoribbons (NGONR) is prepared by a microwave process, and shows great oxygen reduction capability in neutral cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) solution. After cell assembly, test results show that the performance of the glucose fuel cell is significantly affected by oxygen concentration, glucose concentration and operating temperature. Compared with the enzyme glucose fuel cell, the non-enzyme glucose fuel cell can generate power not only at room or human body temperatures, but within a temperature range from 5 to 80°C. The cell power density increases with increasing operating temperature. The assembled fuel cell can produce a maximum power density of 24.9 µW/cm2 in a neutral 10 mM CSF and 8 mM glucose solution at 80°C with an oxygen purge flow.