US7368190B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Miniature biological fuel cell that is operational under physiological conditions, and associated devices and methods
Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc
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Filing: 2003-05-01
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Granted: 2008-05-06
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Expires: 2023-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A fuel cell is provided with an anode and a cathode. The anode is in electrical communication with an anode enzyme and the cathode is in electrical communication with a cathode enzyme. The anode enzyme is preferably an oxidase or a dehydrogenase. The cathode enzyme is a copper-containing enzyme, such as a laccase, an ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, or a bilirubin oxidase. Preferably, the cathode enzyme is operable under physiological conditions. Redox polymers serve to wire the anode enzyme to the anode and the cathode enzyme to the cathode. The fuel cell can be very small in size because it does not require a membrane, seal, or case. The fuel cell can be used in connection with a biological system, such as a human, as it may operate at physiological conditions. By virtue of its size and operability at physiological conditions, the fuel cell is of particular interest for applications calling for a power source implanted in a human body, such as a variety of medical applications.
Inventors
- 👤 Adam Heller
- 👤 Nicholas Mano
- 👤 Hyug-Han Kim
- 👤 Yongchao Zhang
- 👤 Fei Mao
- 👤 Ting Chen
- 👤 Scott Calabrese Barton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:24
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M8/00; H01M8/16; C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/26; C12Q1/32; G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/50; G01N33/72; G01N33/721; G01N33/723; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A fuel cell comprising: an anode and an anode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the anode, the anode electrolysis layer comprising an anode enzyme; and a cathode and a cathode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the cathode, the cathode electrolysis layer comprising a copper-containing cathode enzyme selected from the group consisting of ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, and a bilirubin oxidase, wherein the fuel cell operates under physiological conditions without a membrane separating the anode and the cathode, wherein the copper-containing cathode enzyme retains more than 80% of its maximal activity under the physiological conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A fuel cell comprising: an anode and an anode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the anode, the anode electrolysis layer comprising an anode enzyme; and a cathode and a cathode electrolysis layer on at least a portion of the cathode, the cathode electrolysis layer comprising a copper-containing cathode enzyme selected from the group consisting of ascorbate oxidase, a ceruloplasmine, and a bilirubin oxidase, wherein the fuel cell operates under physiological conditions without a membrane separating the anode and the cathode, wherein the copper-containing cathode enzyme retains more than 80% of its maximal activity under the physiological conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , the anode enzyme comprising an oxidase or a dehydrogenase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , the anode electrolysis layer further comprising an anode redox polymer that comprises a redox species.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , the cathode enzyme comprising four copper ions per functional unit thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , the cathode electrolysis layer further comprising a cathode redox polymer that comprises a redox species.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The fuel cell of claim 3 , the anode redox polymer comprising a redox hydrogel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The fuel cell of claim 5 , the cathode redox polymer comprising a redox hydrogel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel cell of claim 3 , the redox species comprising a transition metal compound or complex.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel cell of claim 5 , the redox species comprising a transition metal compound or complex.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The fuel cell of claim 8 or 9 , wherein the transition metal is osmium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel cell of claim 1 , the anode and the cathode being in a single compartment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method of detecting a concentration of an analyte in a biological fluid within an animal, comprising: providing a sensor of the concentration of the analyte in the biological fluid, a fuel cell of claim 1 wherein said fuel cell operates under physiological conditions without a compartment or a membrane separating the anode and the cathode, electrically coupled with the sensor, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the fuel cell; providing trans- or sub-cutaneous contact between the sensor and the biological fluid; and transmitting a signal representative of the concentration of the analyte in the biological fluid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
93 words
A method of treating an animal, comprising: providing a sensor of the level of the analyte in the biological fluid, a fuel cell of claim 1 electrically coupled with the sensor, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the fuel cell; providing trans- or sub-cutaneous contact between the sensor and the biological fluid; transmitting a signal representative of the level of the analyte in the biological fluid; providing a system for trans- or sub cutaneous delivery of a treatment agent from a source thereof in response to the signal; and delivering the treatment agent.
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