Recent advances in gold electrode fabrication for low-resource setting biosensing

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Biosensor Technology

Background:

• Gold electrodes are crucial for electrochemical biosensors due to easy functionalization with thiolated biomolecules.
• Traditional gold electrode fabrication is expensive and requires specialized equipment, limiting use in low-resource settings (LRS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in fabricating, characterizing, and functionalizing next-generation gold electrodes.
• To compare the cost and complexity of new methods with traditional cleanroom fabrication.
• To highlight the potential of low-cost gold electrodes for LRS and broader applications.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of alternative fabrication techniques including screen printing, inkjet printing, and physical methods (wire, gold leaf).
• Evaluation of the successful functionalization of these novel electrodes with thiolated molecules.
• Comparative analysis of fabrication costs and complexity.

Main Results:

• Alternative fabrication methods offer simplified and cost-effective alternatives to traditional cleanroom processes.
• Electrodes produced via printing and physical fabrication methods are successfully functionalized with thiolated molecules.
• Gold leaf electrodes show particular promise for implementation in low-resource settings.

Conclusions:

• Next-generation gold electrodes provide viable, cost-effective alternatives for biosensor development.
• The accessibility of these fabrication methods can expand biosensor utility, particularly in low-resource settings.
• Gold leaf electrodes represent a significant advancement for portable and field-deployable biosensor applications.