| A well-designed, paper-based power source is indispensable for creating an all paper-based system that can work independently and self-sustainably. Paper attracts significant attention for its potential integration into simple, low-cost, portable, and disposable analytic/diagnostic devices that are suitable for resource-limited and remote regions. Designing an integrable, paper-based power source is crucial for powering such on-chip paper electronics. Paper-based diagnostic tools are suited to one-time point-of-use and point-of-care tests that can measure the quantity of analytes of interest without the need for obtaining time-consuming and expensive laboratory evidence.;Ideally, paper-based power sources must be inexpensive, simple, disposable, and accessible to resource-limited settings. Microwatt-level power sources are more attractive for meeting the short operation lifetime of those disposable diagnostic devices than commonly used longer-operating batteries. Therefore, simple, low-cost, easily operable, disposable, on-demand paper microbatteries are demanded for powering paper-based sensing devices. These efficient paper-based electronics can never be realized as an independently working system without integrating such paper micro-batteries, because they will always need additional read-out equipment with an appended power source, or rely on conventional power-free colorimetric techniques that only provide minimal yes/no or semi-quantitative analysis. To date, several types of paper-based batteries or energy storage devices have been developed for various applications, including an electrochemical fuel cell, a urine-activated paper battery, a supercapacitor, a lithium-ion paper battery, and an enzymatic paper-based biofuel cell. However, these sources cannot be considered environmentally friendly nor economically disposable since they utilize hazardous chemicals. Moreover, they are not cost-effective due to the complicated processes deployed in their fabrication. These limitations have motivated us to develop microbial fuel cells (MFCs) on paper, as an alternative that offers the highest potential for implementation on paper substrates.;In this dissertation, we created paper-based bacteria-powered biobatteries that can generate power with one drop of bacteria-containing liquid which makes on-board energy delivery possible for the next generation of paper-based devices. A bacteria-powered battery generates electricity through bacterial metabolism under milder pH and temperature conditions compared to conventional fuel cells. Moreover, the fuel used can be any type of biodegradable organic substrate, including wastewater, urine, or soiled water in a puddle. |
