A Ceramic-Electrolyte Glucose Fuel Cell for Implantable Electronics using the bodies own glucose

Next-generation of human implantable devices such as sensors, drug-delivery systems, and electroceuticals will require efficient, reliable, and highly miniaturized power sources. Existing power sources such as the Li–I2 pacemaker battery cannot be scaled down enough and therefore, alternatives are needed to power miniaturized implants. Work done by Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has shown that ceramic electrolytes can be used in potentially implantable glucose fuel cells with unprecedented miniaturization.  The glucose fuel cell consists of a cathode and an anode as well as an electrolyte layer. Glucose from the body is converted to gluconic acid at the anode, releasing protons. The electrolyte conducts these protons through the fuel cell to the cathode, where they recombinate with air to form water molecules. The electrons flow through an external electric circuit which can power an electronic device. This ceramic glucose fuel cell is composed of a freestanding membrane of thickness below 400 nm and fully integrated into silicon for easy integration into bioelectronics. All materials used are highly temperature stable, making thermal sterilization for implantation trivial. With fully scalable glucose powered cells other technological fields in renewables could be open up.

Philipp Simons, Steven A. Schenk, Marco A. Gysel, Lorenz F. Olbrich, Jennifer L.M. Rupp: A Ceramic-Electrolyte Glucose Fuel Cell for Implantable Electronics, Advanced Materials, April 2022



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