Enzymatic fuel cell

Abstract

Provided is a battery comprising a first compartment, a second compartment and a barrier separating the first and second compartments, wherein the barrier comprises a proton transporting moiety.

1 . A battery comprising a first compartment, a second compartment and a barrier separating the first and second compartments, wherein the barrier comprises a proton transporting moiety.  
     
     
         2 . A battery comprising: 
 a first compartment;    a second compartment;    a barrier separating the first compartment from the second compartment; said barrier having a proton transporting moiety;    a first electrode;    a second electrode;    a redox enzyme in the first compartment in communication with the first electrode to receive electrons therefrom;    an electron carrier in the first compartment in chemical communication with the redox enzyme; and    an electron receiving composition in the second compartment in chemical communication with the second electrode,    wherein, in operation, an electrical current flows along a conductive pathway formed between the first electrode and the second electrode.    
     
     
         3 . The battery of  claim 2 , wherein the first electrode is further associated with an electron transfer mediator that transfers electrons from the redox enzyme to the first electrode.  
     
     
         4 . The battery of  claim 2 , wherein the proton transporting protein comprises at least a portion of the redox enzyme.  
     
     
         5 . The battery of  claim 2 , adapted to operate at the first electrode at a temperature of about 60° C. or less.  
     
     
         6 . The battery of  claim 2 , further comprising a reservoir for supplying to the vicinity of at least one of the electrodes a component consumed in the operation of the battery and a pump for drawing such component to that vicinity.  
     
     
         7 . The battery of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller which receives data on the operation of the battery and controls the pump in response to the data.  
     
     
         8 . The battery of  claim 2 , wherein a light-driven proton pump protein comprises at least a portion of the proton transporting protein, and further comprising: 
 a source of light for powering the light-driven proton pump protein.    
     
     
         9 . The battery of  claim 2 , further incorporating in the barrier a second protein, distinct from the first, adapted to facilitate reverse proton pumping when the battery is operated in recharge mode.  
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a battery with a first compartment and a second compartment comprising: 
 enzymatically oxidizing an electron carrier and delivering the electrons to a first electrode in chemical communication with the first compartment;    catalyzing the transfer of protons from the first compartment to the second compartment; and    reducing an electron receiving molecule with electrodes conveyed through a circuit from the first electrode to a second electrode located in the second compartment.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catalytic transfer of protons occurs in conjunction with the enzymatic oxidation of the electron carrier.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the transfer of protons is driven by a light-driven proton pump protein, and the method further comprises: 
 directing light to the light-driven proton pump.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising 
 monitoring the pH of the first compartment and controlling the amount of light directed to the light-driven proton pump such that relatively more light is directed at lower pH values.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 applying a voltage to the electrodes of a polarity opposite that generated by the normal operation of the battery to recharge the battery.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 enzymatically transporting protons from the second chamber to the first chamber in connection with the applying the recharge voltage.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the enzymatic transport in recharge mode is accomplished by an enzyme distinct from an enzyme catalyzing the majority of proton transport in a power producing mode.  
     
     
         17 . A battery comprising: 
 a first compartment;    a second compartment;    a barrier separating the first compartment from the second compartment;    a first electrode;    a second electrode;    a redox enzyme in the first compartment in communication with the first electrode to receive electrons therefrom, the redox enzyme incorporated in a lipid composition;    an electron carrier in the first compartment in chemical communication with the redox enzyme; and    an electron receiving composition in the second compartment in chemical communication with the second electrode,    wherein, in operation, an electrical current flows along a conductive pathway formed between the first electrode and the second electrode.    
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a battery with a first compartment and a second compartment comprising: 
 enzymatically oxidizing, with an enzyme incorporated into a lipid composition, an electron carrier and delivering the electrons to a first electrode in chemical communication with the first compartment; and    reducing an electron receiving molecule with electrodes conveyed through a circuit from the first electrode to a second electrode located in the second compartment.