NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy

Laboratory (NREL) at www.nrel.gov/publications.

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Identification of Catalysts and 

Materials for a High-Energy 

Density Biochemical Fuel Cell

Cooperative Research and Development 

Final Report

CRADA Number: CRD-09-345

NREL Technical Contacts: 

Drazenka Svedruzic and Maria Ghirardi

CRADA Report

NREL/TP-7A10-58457

July 2013
NOTICE

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. 

Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, 

express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of 

any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately 

owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, 

trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, 

or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors 

expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof.

This report is available at no cost from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 

at www.nrel.gov/publications.

Available electronically at http://www.osti.gov/bridge

Available for a processing fee to U.S. Department of Energy

and its contractors, in paper, from:

U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Scientific and Technical Information

P.O. Box 62

Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0062

phone: 865.576.8401

fax: 865.576.5728

email: mailto:reports@adonis.osti.gov

Available for sale to the public, in paper, from:

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22161

phone: 800.553.6847

fax: 703.605.6900

email: orders@ntis.fedworld.gov

online ordering: http://www.ntis.gov/help/ordermethods.aspx

Cover Photos: (left to right) photo by Pat Corkery, NREL 16416, photo from SunEdison, NREL 17423, photo by Pat Corkery, NREL 

16560, photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL 17613, photo by Dean Armstrong, NREL 17436, photo by Pat Corkery, NREL 17721.

 Printed on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% post consumer waste. 
1 

This report is available at no cost from the 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 

at www.nrel.gov/publications.

Cooperative Research and Development Final Report

In accordance with Requirements set forth in Article XI.A(3) of the CRADA document, this document is 

the final CRADA report, including a list of Subject Inventions, to be forwarded to the Office of Science 

and Technical Information as part of the commitment to the public to demonstrate results of federally 

funded research.

CRADA Number: CRD-09-345

CRADA Title: Identification of Catalysts and Materials for a High-Energy Density 

Biochemical Fuel Cell

Parties to the Agreement: Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

Joint Work Statement Funding Table showing DOE commitment: 

Estimated Costs NREL Shared Resources

Year 1 $ 00.00

Year 2 $ 00.00

Year 3 $ 00.00

TOTALS $ 00.00

Abstract of CRADA work: 

The proposed research attempted to identify novel biochemical catalysts, catalyst support materials, highefficiency electron transfer agents between catalyst active sites and electrodes, and solid-phase 

electrolytes in order to maximize the current density of biochemical fuel cells that utilize various alcohols

as substrates.

Summary of Research Results: 

The aim of this project was to develop and demonstrate optimal pathways for complete oxidation of highenergy density fuels and to harvest the resulting electrons within a biochemical fuel cell for electricity 

generation. During the course of this CRADA, we identified two viable pathways and one or more 

biocatalysts for each step of the oxidation reaction. The biocatalysts were either produced by their native 

organisms or the respective genes were overexpressed in E. coli. The biocatalytic activity of each catalyst

was demonstrated in aqueous solution, using quantitative and/or qualitative activity assays. We also 

demonstrated sequential catalytic fuel oxidation, involving multiple steps catalyzed by each of the 

identified enzymes. Successful implementation of an in vitro system involving synergistic activity of 

multiple biocatalysts presents unique challenges, and successful demonstration of the concept was one of 

the major objectives of this study. Indeed, similar studies of such complex systems are not common in the 

scientific literature.

Subject Inventions Listing: None Report Date: 05/09/13

Responsible Technical Contact at Alliance/NREL: Drazenka Svedruzic and Maria Ghirardi

This document contains NO confidential, protectable, or proprietary information.