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Advanced Mediator Architectures for Efficient Electron Transfer in Enzymatic Fuel Cell Electrodes

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA9550-12-C-0081
Agency Tracking Number: F09B-T03-0113
Amount: $749,880.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF09-BT03
Solicitation Number: 2009.B
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2009
Award Year: 2012
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2012-09-12
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
215 Wynn Dr., 5th Floor
Huntsville, AL -
United States
DUNS: 185169620
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Vojtech Svoboda
 Group Leader
 (256) 327-0681
 proposals-contracts@cfdrc.com
Business Contact
 Deborah Phipps
Title: Contracts Manager
Phone: (256) 726-4884
Email: dap@cfdrc.com
Research Institution
 Michigan State University
 Suzanne Morgan
 
Contract&Grant Administratio 301 Administration Building
Lansing, MI 48823-
United States

 (517) 355-5040
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

ABSTRACT: Our objective is to develop advanced mediator architectures for efficient electron transfer in enzymatic fuel cells (EFCs) for low power systems. The proposed EFC will leverage ongoing research at both CFDRC and Michigan State University to provide a fully-integrated lightweight, low-cost, manufacturable, and renewable power supply, for various military and civilian applications. EFC systems offer several advantages over the conventional electrochemical power sources: higher energy density, low-cost and environmentally-friendly catalysts, room temperature and pH neutral operating environment, a variety of renewable fuels (e.g. sugars). In Phase I, we demonstrated easy-to-synthesize novel mediators with tunable redox potential. We used these immobilized mediators to demonstrate a fully-integrated membrane-less single chamber EFC. In Phase II we will finalize development of the mediator and deposition techniques and create a computational modeling based design tool to obtain maximal anode performance for a given enzyme and fuel with stable and reproducible operation. The fully-integrated prototype will be capable of providing a proof-of-concept demonstration as a portable military power source. A multi-disciplinary team with proven expertise in electrochemical power sources, biomicrosystems, bioelectrochemistry, and system design has been assembled to accomplish these goals. BENEFIT: The major outcome of Phase II will be an enzymatic fuel cell with a state-of-the-art immobilized mediator for a reproducible high performance power source. The use of the improved mediator will provide reproducible high power performance and reduced time to market. Furthermore, the novel mediator developed here will have advantages of performance and manufacturing (immobilized versus diffused) over our existing mediator solution. The fully integrated system will meet a critical need in many small, mobile military systems, which are typically limited by batteries, and their inconvenient replacement/recharge requirements. The high power EFC device proposed here eliminates these limitations by taking advantage of readily available sugar sources of more than ten times higher energy density in biocatalytic oxidation. Immediate military applications for the Phase II device include micro air vehicles (MAVs), unattended ground sensors (UGSs), and wireless surveillance networks. Additionally with some adaptation, the device could be suitable for implantation to meet the military"s vision of remote surveillance through the use of insects and other animals. While the initial development is focused on military markets, there exist parallel commercial efforts including monitoring of plants, bridges, and highways. In the implantable area, the EFC could be adapted for implantable medical devices such as pacemakers and drug delivery pumps. The Phase II program will be tailored to incorporate the requirements of lightweight, low-cost, and manufacturable needed to make commercialization possible.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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