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Review
. 2025 Sep 20;15(9):627.
doi: 10.3390/bios15090627.

Recent Advances in Microfluidic Biofuel Cells

Takahiro Kawaguchi  1 , Shota Ito  1 , Daisuke Nakane  1 , Takashiro Akitsu  1
Affiliations
Review

Recent Advances in Microfluidic Biofuel Cells

Takahiro Kawaguchi et al. Biosensors (Basel). .

Abstract

Traditionally, fuel cells operate by using small fuel molecules such as hydrogen and methanol to produce energy, water, and carbon dioxide. Enzyme biofuel cells use enzymes rather than precious metals as electrode catalysts. In recent years, enzyme-immobilized electrodes have been developed by combining enzyme biofuel cells with microfluidic technology to improve the efficiency and performance of fuel cells. In this review, we will provide an overview and describe the current status of recent enzyme biofuel cells, microfluidic technology, and their applications to microfluidic fuel cells.

Keywords: (bio)fuel cells; electron transfer; enzyme immobilization; mediators; microfluidic fuel cells.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A microbial biofuel cell based on a bulk silicon micromachine. Adapted from Ref. [6].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overview of an enzymatic glucose/O2 microfluidic biofuel cell.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A typical two-compartment layout of a microbial biofuel cell. Adapted from Ref. [6].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic of a membraneless fuel cell with microfluidic channels. Adapted from Ref. [6].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic representation of GOx bioanode and laccase (lac) biocathode for glucose/oxygen biofuel cell. Anode (Left): Immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme oxidizes glucose and releases electrons (e−). Cathode (Right): Immobilized laccase enzyme reduces the oxidizing agent (O2) to produce water. This battery has an open-circuit voltage of 0.7 V and a maximum power density of 7.05 ± 0.05 mW cm−2. Additionally, after 60 days of cyclic charging and discharging, the capacity retention was maintained at 84.2%.
Figure 6
Figure 6
EBFC applied to contact lenses.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Paper-based EBFCs stacked on shelves (red: cathode; blue: anode).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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