PROCEDE ET ELECTRODE DE BIOELECTROCATALYSE

LA BIOELECTROCATALYSE ET UN PROCESSUS DANS LEQUEL DES ELECTRONS SONT TRANSFERES ENTRE UNE ELECTRODE ET UNE MATIERE BIOLOGIQUE ELECTROACTIVE, PAR EXEMPLE UN CYTOCHROME.SELON L'INVENTION, ON PEUT LIER DIRECTEMENT LA MATIERE BIOLOGIQUE ELECTROACTIVE A L'ELECTRODE A L'AIDE D'UNE ESPECE CHARGEE INCORPOREE CHIMIQUEMENT OU PHYSIQUEMENT DANS LA MATIERE CONDUCTRICE DE L'ELECTRICITE 10 DE L'ELECTRODE. L'ESPECE CHARGEE PEUT ETRE, PAR EXEMPLE, DE L'ACIDE STEARIQUE OU DES GROUPES OXYDES DU GRAPHITE OXYDE EN SURFACE.L'ELECTRODE PEUT SATISFAIRE LES BESOINS EN ENERGIE DE MOLECULES BIOLOGIQUES POUR LA CATALYSE DE REACTIONS CHIMIQUES, ET L'INVENTION PEUT SERVIR AUSSI DANS DES PILES A COMBUSTIBLE BIOLOGIQUE. Bioelectrocatalysis is the use of materials derived from biological systems as catalysts for reactions occurring at electrodes. These materials are called electroactive biological materials. The applicants have found that the electroactive biological material can be bound to the electrode by providing within the electrically conductive substance of the electrode a binding species for orientation and chemical and reversible binding of the electroactive biological material to the electrode. The conductive substance may be particulate carbon, the binding species being provided by groups on the surface of the carbon particles by surface oxidation thereof. Alternatively the binding species may be provided by an additive which is dispersed throughout at least a portion of the conductive substance, optionally in the presence of a binder. The additive binding species may be non-ionic e.g. 4,4'-bipyridyl, or it may have an ionic functional group, for example it may be a fatty acid or fatty amine. The electroactive biological material is preferably cytochrome C. The bioelectrocatalytic processes of the invention include processes for the enzymatic oxidation or reduction of organic molecules, electroanalytical processes in which substances are monitored by means of the current or potential produced as a result of their interaction with an enzyme or cofactor and processes in biological fuel cells.