New generation fuel cells: Chloroplast based in-situ bio fuel cells and synthesis of nanomaterials that can increase their efficiency

Increasing demand for energy in the world, and greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere is one of the most important issues of our time. In order to eliminate these problems scientists have turned to the fuel cell as one of the alternative energy sources. Biofuel cells which is an important member of fuel cell are environmentally friendly and renewable resources. Mostly in the biofuel cell some enzymes such as glucose oxidase and laccase have been used for obtaining energy from glucose. But recently, a new generation materials like nano-metal catalysts have been frequently used because of the many disadvantages of enzymes such as immobilization, low stability etc. Therefore, in this study functionalized multi walled carbon nanotube which have excellent electrical conductivity and durability based Ni nanomaterial (Ni@f-MWCNT) electrode was prepared, tested and developed for biofuel cells. Spinach is one of glucose as fuel, both commercial and green plants (Spinacia oleracea) is used for chloroplast isolation as a result of their leaves open that starts glucose. The prepared nanomaterials have been characterized by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Atomic force microscope (AFM) were evaluated against glucose oxidation by using Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Chronoamperometry (CA) techniques. Ni@f-MWCNT nano catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity that was about 0.56 V at 25 mA / cm2 and a current density of 6 mW power was obtained. Keywords: Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Biofuel Cells (BFCs), Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube, Ni Nanocatalyst.