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Cellulose nanofiber-based electrode as a component of an enzyme-catalyzed biofuel cell
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Researchers developed a flexible, biodegradable biofuel cell using cellulose nanofiber electrodes as a plastic-free alternative for wearable sensors. The device performed comparably to plastic-based equivalents and is readily disposable like paper, offering a path toward reducing microplastic contamination from disposable electronic devices.
Many types of flexible, wearable, and disposable electronic devices have been developed as chemical and physical sensors, and many solar cells contain plastics. However, because of environmental pollution caused by microplastics, plastic use is being reduced worldwide. We have developed an enzyme-catalyzed biofuel cell utilizing cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as an electrode component. The electrode was made conductive by mixing multi-walled carbon nanotubes with the CNF. This prepared biofuel cell was wearable, flexible, hygroscopic, biodegradable, eco-friendly, and readily disposable like paper. The CNF-based enzyme-catalyzed biofuel cell contained a flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase bioanode and laccase biocathode. The maximum voltage and maximum current density of the biofuel cell were 434 mV and 176 μA cm-2, respectively, at room temperature (15-18 °C). The maximum power output was 27 μW cm-2, which was converted to 483 (±13) μW cm-3.
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Electrochemical and physicochemical degradability evaluation of printed flexible carbon electrodes in seawater
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Researchers developed a biodegradable, graphite-based electrode printed on a plant-derived plastic that can monitor water quality and dissolves quickly in seawater after use, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional sensor materials that leave behind non-degradable plastic and metal pollution.
Development of Cellulose Nanofiber Based Nanopapers as Sustainable Alternatives to Plastic Derived Industrial Materials
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Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) nanopapers derived from renewable biomass were shown through numerical simulations to match the mechanical and barrier performance of synthetic polymer films while substantially reducing environmental footprint and eliminating microplastic shedding. This scalable platform positions biodegradable CNF materials as direct substitutes for petroleum-based plastics in packaging, filtration, and electronics applications, targeting microplastic pollution at the source.
Nanocelulosas producidas por un proceso de oxidación no convencional: interacciones y aplicaciones
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This study developed cellulose micro/nanofibers from plant cell walls using unconventional oxidation and mechanical processes, producing biodegradable biomaterials proposed as renewable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics that generate microplastic pollution.
Electrical Properties of Biopolymers
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Researchers developed a modified biopolymer material for sensor applications using bio-based feedstocks, positioning it as an alternative to petrochemical plastics — a development relevant to reducing microplastic generation from conventional plastic sensor components.
Sustainable and imperceptible augmentation of living structures with organic bioelectronic fibres
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Not relevant to microplastics — this bioelectronics study demonstrates imperceptibly thin PEDOT:PSS organic fibers that can be tethered directly onto living surfaces like human skin and plant leaves to enable biopotential sensing and wearable electronics.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.