葡萄糖生物燃料电池(GFC)是一种能够将葡萄糖燃料中的化学能转换为电能的装置, 在自供电可穿戴医疗设备领域有着广泛的应用. 本工作采用一种简单的超声辅助法制备了PtAu纳米颗粒催化剂, 在中性环境下作为柔性GFC的阳极催化剂用于催化葡萄糖. PtAu催化剂对葡萄糖催化具有较高的活性和稳定性. 此外, 本工作还引入了消耗性固态二氧化锰(MnO₂)电极替代O₂还原阴极, 避免溶液中低氧溶解度和缓慢的O₂还原动力学等问题. 通过采用PtAu催化剂修饰的碳布(PtAu/CC)阳极和MnO₂/CC阴极制备的无膜柔性GFC的最大功率密度(P_max)为22.61 μW•cm⁻², 开路电压(E^OCV)为0.439 V, 这为可穿戴设备领域的研究提供了新思路.

The rapid growth of flexible electronics has led to various wearable sensors, circuit, and storage devices. The glucose biofuel cell (GFC) is a device capable of converting the chemical energy from glucose fuel into electrical energy, with a wide range of applications in self-powered wearable medical devices. In this study, a PtAu nanoparticle catalyst was synthesized for the catalysis of glucose in a neutral environment through an ultrasound-assisted method. This method offers the advantages of simple operation, short reaction time, and environmental friendliness. In the synthesis of PtAu catalyst, drying is unnecessary, but the catalyst concentration must be carefully controlled to maintain its catalytic effectiveness. The morphology and structure of the PtAu catalysts were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS). The PtAu catalysts were immobilized on a carbon cloth (CC) to construct the anode of flexible GFC. The study investigated the impact of electrochemically active area, varying sweep rates, and pH values on the catalytic performance, demonstrating the PtAu catalyst’s commendable activity and durability for glucose catalysis. Furthermore, a solid manganese dioxide (MnO₂) material was synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method. The morphology and structure MnO₂ were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and XRD. The prepared solid MnO₂ material was applied to the CC as the cathode of flexible GFC to address issues such as low oxygen solubility and slow O₂ reduction kinetics in solution. Linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) was employed to examine the influence of glucose on MnO₂. In addition, the effects of various mechanical deformations on the anode and cathode were studied, demonstrating their strong mechanical strain capacity. A membrane-less flexible GFC prepared using a PtAu/CC anode and a MnO₂/CC cathode achieved a maximum power density (P_max) of 22.61 μW•cm⁻² and an open circuit voltage (E^OCV) of 0.439 V, surpassing previous reports in the literature, demonstrating its potential for wearable applications. Notably, the flexible GFC maintains consistent power density and E^OCV even after repeated bending, highlighting its stability.