Nano-biosupercapacitors enable autarkic sensor operation in blood

Yeji Lee; Vineeth Kumar Bandari; Zhe Li; Mariana Medina-Sánchez; Manfred F Maitz; Daniil Karnaushenko; Mikhail V Tsurkan; Dmitriy D Karnaushenko; Oliver G Schmidt

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-24863-6

Nano-biosupercapacitors enable autarkic sensor operation in blood

Nat Commun. 2021 Aug 23;12(1):4967. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24863-6.

Authors

Yeji Lee^{1

2

3}, Vineeth Kumar Bandari^{4

5

6}, Zhe Li^{1

2

3}, Mariana Medina-Sánchez³, Manfred F Maitz⁷, Daniil Karnaushenko³, Mikhail V Tsurkan⁷, Dmitriy D Karnaushenko³, Oliver G Schmidt^{8

9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany.
² Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany.
³ Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz IFW Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
⁴ Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany. [email protected].
⁵ Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany. [email protected].
⁶ Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz IFW Dresden, Dresden, Germany. [email protected].
⁷ Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Dresden, Germany.
⁸ Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany. [email protected].
⁹ Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany. [email protected].
¹⁰ Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz IFW Dresden, Dresden, Germany. [email protected].
¹¹ Nanophysics, Faculty of Physics, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany. [email protected].

Abstract

Today's smallest energy storage devices for in-vivo applications are larger than 3 mm³ and lack the ability to continuously drive the complex functions of smart dust electronic and microrobotic systems. Here, we create a tubular biosupercapacitor occupying a mere volume of 1/1000 mm³ (=1 nanoliter), yet delivering up to 1.6 V in blood. The tubular geometry of this nano-biosupercapacitor provides efficient self-protection against external forces from pulsating blood or muscle contraction. Redox enzymes and living cells, naturally present in blood boost the performance of the device by 40% and help to solve the self-discharging problem persistently encountered by miniaturized supercapacitors. At full capacity, the nano-biosupercapacitors drive a complex integrated sensor system to measure the pH-value in blood. This demonstration opens up opportunities for next generation intravascular implants and microrobotic systems operating in hard-to-reach small spaces deep inside the human body.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Biosensing Techniques*
Blood / metabolism*
Dogs
Electric Capacitance*
Electrochemistry
Electrodes
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Ion Transport
Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
Nanoparticles / chemistry*
Temperature