A Needle-type Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor-compatible Glucose Fuel Cell Fabricated by Carbon Nanohorns for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

This study details the development of a solid-state complementary metal-oxide semi-conductor (CMOS)-compatible glucose fuel cell, consisting of various amounts (% wt.) carbon nanohorns (CNHs). It was fabricated on an anode area using one-dimensional (1D) structural CNHs, which express an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 375 mV, the power density of 8.64 µW/cm2 and current density 23.05 µA/cm2 in 30 mM glucose solution. The cell can be manufactured via a CMOS fabrication process, using materials biocompatible with the human body. The CNHs enhanced the fuel cell due to their high electrocatalytic ability. Here, CNHs were used to fabricate a 17.5 mm × 0.7 mm solid-state CMOS-compatible glucose fuel cell with 375 mV of OCV - the highest reported value for such a cell with an anode area of 16.2 mm × 0.3 mm. The highest power is 0.42 µW. Power generation is the main challenge for developing glucose fuel cells to make the implantable devices that can be used for biomedical applications.

Keywords

• carbon nanohorns
• cmos-compatible glucose fuel cell
• open circuit voltage
• biomedical applications