US6294281B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Biological fuel cell and method
Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc
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Filing: 1998-11-30
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Granted: 2001-09-25
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Expires: 2018-11-30
Abstract
Abstract A fuel cell has an anode and a cathode with anode enzyme disposed on the anode and cathode enzyme is disposed on the cathode. The anode is configured and arranged to electrooxidize an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme. Likewise, the cathode is configured and arranged to electroreduce a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme. In addition, anode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the anode to transduce a current between the anode and the anode enzyme and cathode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the cathode to transduce a current between the cathode and the cathode enzyme.
Inventors
- 👤 Adam Heller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:05
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/16; H01M4/00; H01M4/86; H01M4/90; H01M4/9008; H01M2250/00; H01M2250/30; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B90/00; Y02B90/10; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A fuel cell comprising: an anode; anode enzyme disposed on the anode, the anode being configured and arranged for electroxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme; a cathode spaced apart from the anode; and cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
A fuel cell comprising: an anode; anode enzyme disposed on the anode, the anode being configured and arranged for electroxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme; a cathode spaced apart from the anode; and cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , further comprising an anode redox polymer disposed on the anode for transducing a current between the anode and the anode enzyme.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , further comprising a cathode redox polymer disposed on the cathode for transducing a current between the cathode and the cathode enzyme.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode is configured and arranged for electroreducing O 2 is the presence of the cathode enzyme.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The fuel cell of claim 4 , wherein the cathode enzyme comprises a laccase, a cytochrome C peroxidase, or a peroxidase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The fuel cell of claim 4 , wherein the cathode comprises a microporous membrane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The fuel cell of claim 6 , wherein the microporous membrane has an outer layer comprising a hydrophobic surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The fuel cell of claim 7 , wherein the microporous membrane has an inner layer comprising a hydrophilic surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The fuel cell of claim 8 , wherein the cathode enzyme is disposed on the inner layer of the microporous membrane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode is configured and arranged for electrooxidizing at least one of sugars, alcohols, or carboxylic acids in a biological system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode enzyme comprises an oxidase or a dehydrogenase.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , further comprising an additional enzyme proximally disposed to the anode and capable of breaking down at least one of starch or cellulose into sugars, alcohols, or carboxylic acids.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode enzyme is immobilized within an inorganic matrix.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fuel cell of claim 13 , wherein the inorganic matrix comprises redox functional groups to transduce a current between the anode enzyme and the anode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The fuel cell of claim 13 , wherein the inorganic matrix comprises conductive particles distributed in the matrix.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the anode enzyme is a thermostable enzyme.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is coupled to a storage device for storing electrical power generated by the fuel cell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
A fuel cell comprising: an anode; anode redox polymer disposed on the anode; anode enzyme disposed on the anode and in contact with the anode redox polymer, the anode being configured and arranged for electrooxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme; a cathode spaced apart from the anode; cathode redox polymer disposed on the cathode; and cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode and contacting the cathode redox polymer, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
A fuel cell comprising: an anode; anode redox polymer disposed on the anode; anode enzyme disposed on the anode and in contact with the anode redox polymer, the anode being configured and arranged for electrooxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme; a cathode spaced apart from the anode; cathode redox polymer disposed on the cathode; and cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode and contacting the cathode redox polymer, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The fuel cell of claim 18 , wherein the anode redox polymer has a redox potential that is at least +0.1 volts positive of a redox potential of the anode enzyme.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The fuel cell of claim 18 , wherein the cathode redox polymer has a redox potential that is at least +0.1 volts positive of a redox potential of the cathode enzyme.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
41 words
A method of generating electrical power, comprising: electrooxidizing an anode reductant on an anode in the presence of an anode enzyme; and electroreducing a cathode oxidant on a cathode, spaced apart form the anode, in the presence of a cathode enzyme.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
41 words
A method of generating electrical power, comprising: electrooxidizing an anode reductant on an anode in the presence of an anode enzyme; and electroreducing a cathode oxidant on a cathode, spaced apart form the anode, in the presence of a cathode enzyme.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of generating electrical power, comprising: inserting a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode into a biological system; electrooxidizing a biochemical in the biological system at the anode and in the presence of a anode enzyme disposed on the anode; and electroreducing oxygen at the cathode in the presence of a cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of generating electrical power, comprising: inserting a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode into a biological system; electrooxidizing a biochemical in the biological system at the anode and in the presence of a anode enzyme disposed on the anode; and electroreducing oxygen at the cathode in the presence of a cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 22 , wherein the biological system comprises an animal, a plant, or plant residue.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the animal is a human.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein a biological fluid is pumped through the fuel cell by a heart of the animal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the biological fluid is venous or arterial blood.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
107 words
An electrically-operated device comprising: electrically-operated components; and a fuel cell coupled to the electrically-operated components for providing electrical power to the electrically-operated components, the fuel cell being configured for operation in a biological system and comprising an anode; anode enzyme disposed on the anode, the anode being configured and arranged for electroxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme; a cathode spaced apart from the anode; cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme; and leads from the anode and the cathode for coupling to the electrically-operated components.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
107 words
An electrically-operated device comprising: electrically-operated components; and a fuel cell coupled to the electrically-operated components for providing electrical power to the electrically-operated components, the fuel cell being configured for operation in a biological system and comprising an anode; anode enzyme disposed on the anode, the anode being configured and arranged for electroxidizing an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme; a cathode spaced apart from the anode; cathode enzyme disposed on the cathode, the cathode being configured and arranged for electroreducing a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme; and leads from the anode and the cathode for coupling to the electrically-operated components.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 27 , wherein the fuel cell is configured and arranged for implantation in a human or animal.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 27 , wherein the device is configured and arranged for implantation in a human or animal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-09-24 | 2005-03-26 | 2005-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-24 | 2009-03-26 | 2009-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-24 | 2013-03-26 | 2013-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |