A paper based self-pumping and self-breathing fuel cell using pencil stroked graphite electrodes

Abstract

We develop a paper based fuel cell in which fluids flow through a capillary transport mechanism. The pencil stroked graphite electrodes take oxygen from quiescent air. This simple and efficient paper fuel cell can generate energy to the tune of 32 mW cm⁻² over a prolonged duration of around 1000 minutes, and with the consumption of a very low volume of formic acid as fuel (~1 mL).