Polishing of screen-printed electrodes improves IgG adsorption

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Screen-printing technology offers advantages for industrial sensor production due to its versatile nature.
• Carbon screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) can be modified with various materials and additional layers.
• Optimizing SPE surface properties is crucial for enhancing sensor performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different polishing methods on carbon SPEs.
• To evaluate the effects on active electrode area, adsorption properties, and reproducibility.
• To determine the optimal polishing technique for sensor applications.

Main Methods:

• Two polishing methods were employed: gentle (office paper) and aggressive (emery paper, SiC 240 µm).
• Adsorption of rabbit immunoglobulin (IgG) was measured to assess surface properties.
• Reproducibility between multiple electrodes was evaluated.
• Changes in the active electrode area were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Adsorption of rabbit IgG significantly increased in the order: emery paper > office paper > original (unpolished).
• Electrode reproducibility improved with office paper polishing compared to emery paper and original SPEs.
• The active electrode area remained largely unaffected by both polishing methods.

Conclusions:

• Emery paper polishing enhances adsorption properties of SPEs but compromises reproducibility.
• Office paper polishing provides a favorable balance between improved adsorption and high reproducibility.
• Surface modification through simple polishing techniques can significantly impact SPE performance for biosensing applications.