Enzymeless multi-sugar fuel cells with high power output based on 3D graphene–Co3O4 hybrid electrodes

Abstract

Biofuel cells (BFCs), which use enzymes as catalysts to harvest energy from green and sustainable fuels abundantly producible from biological systems, are promising next-generation energy devices. However, the poor stability and high specificity to only one fuel type of these bio-catalysts largely limits the practical use of current BFCs. In this contribution, we demonstrate a unique fuel cell which, equipped with two identical enzyme-free electrodes based on Co₃O₄ coated 3D graphene, is able to efficiently harvest electricity from various sweet biofuels (glucose, sucrose, or lactose). Taking advantage of the dual catalytic ability of nanostructured Co₃O₄ for both glucose oxidation and oxygen reduction as well as the exceptional electrical and structural properties of 3D graphene, our glucose-powered fuel cell, with good long-term stability, offers high open circuit voltage (∼1.1 V) and power density output (2.38 ± 0.17 mW cm⁻²).