Enzyme Based Biological Fuel Cell for Energy Storage and Generation

Luna Innovations will determine the feasibility of developing a light weight enzymatic fuel cell that is capable of powering MAVs in the field at 10-10,000 mWatts. The proposed enzymatic fuel cell will provide significant improvements in power generation, stability, and life time over current biofuel cell technologies, resulting in an environmentally friendly, sustainable fuel cell technology. Additionally, the proposed technology is capable of running on various fuel sources scavenged from the surrounding environment, making it more versatile and lighter weight than traditional battery power for field operations. During Phase I Luna will fabricate multiple electrodes containing either oxidizing or reducing enzymes that will be evaluated and tested. Phase II will focus on maximizing power generation and reducing weight, while working to integrate the fuel cell technology with products such as micro air vehicles and unattended ground sensors to meet the market demand for power systems for small mobile electronic devices.