A novel three-dimensional carbonized PANI@CNTs network for enhanced enzymatic biofuel cell.

A novel three-dimensional (3D) carbon composite of PANI@CNTs with rhizobium-like structure is prepared by in-situ polymerization of aniline monomers around and along the functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and then carbonized at 1600°C for enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs). The SEM and TEM images clearly show that the carbonized PANI grew seamlessly on the surface of CNTs and presented the rhizobium-like structure. The carbonized PANI acts like conductive "glue" and connects the adjacent tubes together, which can assemble the CNTs into a 3D network. The PANI@CNTs composite modified glassy carbon electrodes based on glucose oxidase (GOx) and laccase (Lac) exhibit high electrochemical performance. A glucose//O EBFC constitutes of the fabricated anode and cathode performs a maximum power density of 1.12mWcm at 0.45V. Furthermore, three of the fabricated EBFCs in series are able to lightening up a yellow light-emitting diode (LED) whose turn-on voltage is about at 1.8V. This work may be helpful for exploiting novel substrates by carbonizing the composites of conducting polymer with nano materials at high-temperature for immobilization of enzymes in the EBFCs or biosensor fields.