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. 2019 May 6;9(1):6931.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-43425-x.

A Fully-Flexible Solution-Processed Autonomous Glucose Indicator

Jonathan D Yuen  1 , Ankit Baingane  2   3 , Qumrul Hasan  2   3 , Lisa C Shriver-Lake  1 , Scott A Walper  1 , Daniel Zabetakis  1 , Joyce C Breger  1 , David A Stenger  1 , Gymama Slaughter  4   5
Affiliations

A Fully-Flexible Solution-Processed Autonomous Glucose Indicator

Jonathan D Yuen et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

We present the first demonstration of a fully-flexible, self-powered glucose indicator system that synergizes two flexible electronic technologies: a flexible self-powering unit in the form of a biofuel cell, with a flexible electronic device - a circuit-board decal fabricated with biocompatible microbial nanocellulose. Our proof-of-concept device, comprising an enzymatic glucose fuel cell, glucose sensor and a LED indicator, does not require additional electronic equipment for detection or verification; and the entire structure collapses into a microns-thin, self-adhering, single-centimeter-square decal, weighing less than 40 mg. The flexible glucose indicator system continuously operates a light emitting diode (LED) through a capacitive charge/discharge cycle, which is directly correlated to the glucose concentration. Our indicator was shown to operate at high sensitivity within a linear glucose concentration range of 1 mM-45 mM glucose continuously, achieving a 1.8 VDC output from a flexible indicator system that deliver sufficient power to drive an LED circuit. Importantly, the results presented provide a basis upon which further development of indicator systems with biocompatible diffusing polymers to act as buffering diffusion barriers, thereby allowing them to be potentially useful for low-cost, direct-line-of-sight applications in medicine, husbandry, agriculture, and the food and beverage industries.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Nanocellulose pellicles grown over a 5 cycle period. (b) A nanocellulose pellicle on a glass wafer dried into a sheet. (c) Inkjet-printed images on nanocellulose.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Ink-jet print pattern on nanocellulose with a palladium-based catalyst ink. (b) Electrolessly-plated a metallic wiring diagram on nanocellulose based on the ink pattern in (a). (c) Field’s Metal solder coated on the metallic wiring structure. (d) Surface mount components welded on the nanocellulose sheet with the solder, with the device wired up and in operation. (e) Circuit layout of the resulting electronic device.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Current-voltage polarization curves (top) and power versus current density (bottom) curves of the glucose biofuel cell at different external loads in increasing glucose concentration.
Figure 4
Figure 4
A Steady-state frequency – time responses obtained by glucose biofuel cell to 1 mM and 5 mM glucose in 0.1 M PBS solution at the 2.7 μF capacitor. (c) Calibration curve: frequency versus glucose concentration. Error bars represent standard errors of the mean triplicate values.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) A flexible self-powered glucose indicator immersed in a glucose solution; device is in operation with the LED flashing red. Video is available in the Supporting Information. (b) A flexible self-powered glucose indicator with the biofuel cell electrodes sandwiching a nanocellulose sheet soaked with glucose solution, showing the autonomous operation of the device in an isolated environment. Video is available in the Supporting Information. (c) Final form of the flexible self-powered glucose indicator reduced to a 5 mm × 5 mm square in operation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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