Construction of biofuel cells-based self-powered biosensors via design of nanocatalytic system

Biofuel cells (BFCs) can directly produce electrical energy from biofuels, have been applied as the power source to construct self-powered biosensors (SPBs) for analyte sensitive detection through changing their outputs with the concentration of analyte. Compared with conventional electrochemical sensors, BFCs-based SPBs no longer required the external power supplies and other complex devices, which are conducive to the development of portable and implantable devices. The output performance and stability of BFCs are the key issues for constructing SPBs with excellent performance. Based on the above-mentioned issues, researchers continue to develop new strategies and novel nanomaterials for sensor design, and build BFCs-based SPBs with good stability and high output performance by improving the stability and catalytic activity of catalysts. So far, BFCs-based SPBs have achieved gratifying progresses through the continuous exploration of researchers. In this review, we summarize the research advances in SPBs based on different nanocatalytic systems, such as enzymes/nanomaterials-based, light-driven, and non-enzymes-based, and discuss the novel SPBs based on different sensing strategies. Apart from this, we also summarize and discuss the improvement of the stability and durability of SPBs by the nanocatalytic system. Finally, we propose the challenges and opportunities of BFCs-based SPBs in the future development directions. The research advances in self-powered biosensors based on different nanocatalytic systems were reviewed, including enzymes/nanomaterials-based, light-driven and non-enzymes-based strategy. • The research advances in SPBs based on different nanocatalytic systems were reviewed. • Enzymes/nanomaterials-based, light-driven and non-enzymes-based SPBs were summarized. • The challenges and opportunities of SPBs in the future development were discussed.