Patent ID: 8785058

Claim:
A biofuel cell system comprising: an anode electrically coupled to a cathode; and an electrolyte in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode; wherein the anode includes a first microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial on a first substrate, the first microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial on the first substrate having at least one first enzyme directly immobilized by the first microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial; wherein the cathode includes a second microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial on a second substrate, the second microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial on the second substrate having at least one second enzyme directly immobilized by the second microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial; wherein the first microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial enables direct electron transfer between the first substrate and the at least one first enzyme without a need for an additional electron transfer layer or electron-transfer mediator in the anode; wherein the second microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial enables direct electron transfer between the second substrate and the at least one second enzyme without a need for an additional electron transfer layer or electron-transfer mediator in the cathode; wherein the at least one first enzyme is microwave bonded to the first microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial thereby immobilizing the at least one first enzyme via direct covalent bonding interaction between the first microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial and the at least one first enzyme; and wherein the at least one second enzyme is microwave bonded to the second microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial thereby immobilizing the at least one second enzyme via direct covalent bonding interaction between the second microwave functionalized carbon nanomaterial and the at least one second enzyme.