Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes As Supporting Matrix for Enhancement Oxidation of Fucose on Gold Nanoparticle-Based Catalyst

Biomass extracted from brown macro-algae promises as a future renewable energy because of non-toxicity, natural availability, greenhouse gas free, and do not interfere with the human food chain. Here, we first present the extraction of energy from brown macro-algae via direct oxidation of fucose using anodic catalytic composite material of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) sintered on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs). The combination of AuNPs/f-MWCNTs showed super catalytic activity on fucose oxidation in compare to AuNPs and f-MWCNTs only. The oxidation peak of fucose shifted to more negative peak by using AuNPs/f-MWCNT/C in compare to Au/C electrode only, while almost there is no peak can be observed in the case of f-MWCNT/C electrode. The direct fucose fuel cell performance by using AuNPs/f-MWCNT/C electrode as the anode resulted in power density of 1.923 mW cm^-2, is much more higher than 0.658 mW cm^-2 of AuNPs/C and 0.028 mW cm^-2 of f-MWCNT/C. A small air - fucose fuel cell using 1 cm² anode can run a LED lamp. Furthermore, a fuel cell using 16 cm² anodic electrode modified by AuNPs/f-MWCNT with 3 mL fuel solution can keep a small fan running for at least 3 hours. The results from this research open possibility for practical application of our fuel cell with high efficiency on conversion of energy from brown macro-algae biomasses.