Silver Thread-Based Embroidered Bioelectrodes for Wearable Sweat-Powered BioFuel Cell

Fuel cell is a rapidly advancing field that involves integrated electronic systems using conductive materials for various applications, often relying on an external energy source. Herein, a wearable biofuel cell (WBFC) developed as a promising alternative, capable of generating energy directly from physiological environment has been explored. A key consideration for the practical implementation of wearable bioelectronic devices is the development of optimized electrode materials that are flexible, lightweight, and disposable. This study introduces a novel approach to fabricating enzymatic bioelectrodes for biofuel cell applications using an automated embroidery stitching method. The intended approach provides a minimal, economical, and scalable solution for producing electrodes without metallic catalysts. The resulting lactate/O₂ biofuel cell achieved a maximum power density of 42 µW/cm⁻<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> under laboratory conditions and 14.6 µW/cm⁻<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> when tested with human sweat, demonstrating a high open-circuit voltage. Hence, the WBFC shows great potential for a real-time application.