Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

DOI

10.3390/en18123167

Publication Title

Energies

Volume

18

Issue

12

Pages

3167 (1-14)

Abstract

The transition toward sustainable and decentralized energy solutions necessitates the development of innovative bioelectronic systems capable of harvesting and converting renewable energy. Here, we present a novel photo-bioelectrochemical fuel cell architecture based on a biohybrid anode integrating laser-induced graphene (LIG), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and isolated thylakoid membranes. LIG provided a porous, conductive scaffold, while PEDOT enhanced electrode compatibility, electrical conductivity, and operational stability. Compared to MXene-based systems that involve complex, multi-step synthesis, PEDOT offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative for bioelectrode fabrication. Thylakoid membranes were immobilized onto the PEDOT-modified LIG surface to enable light-driven electron generation. Electrochemical characterization revealed enhanced redox activity following PEDOT modification and stable photocurrent generation under light illumination, achieving a photocurrent density of approximately 18 µA cm−². The assembled photo-bioelectrochemical fuel cell employing a gas diffusion platinum cathode demonstrated an open-circuit voltage of 0.57 V and a peak power density of 36 µW cm−² in 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 5.5) under light conditions. Furthermore, the integration of a charge pump circuit successfully boosted the harvested voltage to drive a low-power light-emitting diode, showcasing the practical viability of the system. This work highlights the potential of combining biological photosystems with conductive nanomaterials for the development of self-powered, light-driven bioelectronic devices.

Comments

© 2025 by the authors.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License.

Data Availability Statement: Article States: "Data is contained within the article or supplementary material.

Original Publication Citation

Sarode, A., & Slaughter, G. (2025). Fabrication of thylakoid membrane-based photo-bioelectrochemical bioanode for self-powered light-driven electronics. Energies, 18(12), 1-14, Article 3167. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18123167

ORCID

0009-0005-1184-9653 (Sarode), 0000-0002-4307-091X (Slaughter)

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