Mediator-less Glucose BioFuel Cell – M-GBFC

Glucose BioFuel Cells (GBFCs), whose redox reactions are catalyzed by enzymes, hold a strong place in worldwide research. Though their first targeted application was implantation inside animals, this implantation had never been performed. Classical GBFC’s enzymes indeed present characteristics that are not compatible with physiological specificities. Yet, though devices such as pacemakers or implantable insulin pumps consume only some tens of micro-watts, which can be provided by classical Li-based sealed batteries, devices capable to compensate failure of essential functions implying a mechanical work are much more energy demanding. A GBFC capable to produce at least some hundreds of micro-watts would therefore have multiple and totally innovative applications.
We recently performed the first implantation of a GBFC inside a rat, which was able to produce several micro-watts, despite the very specific conditions of the Extra-Cellular Fluid, by exploiting an original architecture: use of polyphenol oxidase enzyme for oxygen reduction, original and easy to operate connection of enzymes and mediators (by compression in a graphite powder), wrapping inside dialysis membranes in order to confine the active elements, then in polytetrafluoroethylene in order to avoid inflammatory reactions.
In its present configuration, this success raised the interest of several industrial partners. We propose in this project to build on this interest and on new results, that enabled us to improve in vitro by 1000 times the performance of our GBFC concept. These results are based on a major innovation: suppress the use of redox mediators, by directly connecting the enzymes on the carbon nanowires, which keep compressed and conditioned as was the case in the GBFC we implanted in an animal. An important part of the work will consist in designing experimental protocols on rats and pigs, in order to be able to characterize the physiological yield of our GBFCs, so as to get quantified data on which to perform the electrochemical and architectural choices that will allow optimization of our GBFCs and to reach the targeted power of at least 100 to 200 microwatts. These quantified results will help reinforcing the work of prospecting industrial partners, which we have already well started, our objective being to have, by the end of the project, a prototype validated for work inside animals, capable to convince an industrial partner to set out on developing a GBFC for human use.

This project is very multidisciplinary. TIMC-IMAG is specialized in Computer Assisted Medical Interventions (domain from which comes the request of sources of power for micro-implantable robots, such as the Automatic Artificial Urinary Sphincter we are developing, which requires about 200 micro-watts). This laboratory also has the necessary expertise for animal experiments. DCM brings a team specialized in electrochemistry, which will apply its expertise in the design of biosensors for designing and building the original GBFCs we plan to test. These teams both belong to the same University and to CNRS, and are assisted in the industrial exploitation of their results by Floralis, UJF’s subsidiary, which already assisted in taking 3 patents, a fourth one being on its way, and which also actively contributes to prospecting industrial partners. Several industrial actors have already been contacted and showed interest for this project.