Non-enzymatic biofuel cell configuring PtNPs@phage nanorods for direct glucose electro-oxidation and NiOOH nanoflowers with laccase-mimicking nanozyme for oxygen reduction reaction

Biofuel cells (BFCs) are considered as green energy, which use enzyme biocatalysts to convert chemical energy into electrical energy, attracting great attention due to their potential applications in portable or implantable device. However, traditional enzymatic BFCs experienced low energy density and poor stability. Herein, we report on platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) assembling on filamentous phage to form rod-like Pt NPs@phage nanoarchitecture, which improved the stability of Pt NPs. The as-developed Pt NPs@phage exhibited direct electro-oxidation of glucose at lower potential of 0.081 V versus SCE under neutral pH condition. By simple chemical precipitation followed by oxidization, we also developed a nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH) nanoflowers (NFs) with excellent laccase-mimicking nanozyme activity, which exhibit superior electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction under neutral pH condition. Finally, a non-enzymatic glucose BFC was constructed using Pt NPs@phage as the anode catalyst and NiOOH NFs as the cathode catalyst. The as-assembled non-enzymatic glucose BFC registered output voltage of 534 mV and a maximum power density of 47.52 μW·cm−2. This research is of great significance for exploring high-performance electrocatalysts and nanozymes as efficient cathode catalysts for developing non-enzymatic biofuel cells.