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Patterning (Electro)chemical Treatment-Free Electrodes with a 3D Printing Pen
Lauro A Pradela-Filho1, William B Veloso1, Débora N Medeiros1
1Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Analytical Chemistry
|June 22, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed a simple 3D printing method for reusable electrochemical sensors using polylactic acid and carbon black filament. These sensors offer comparable performance to traditional electrodes and are suitable for analyzing various species and tea samples.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Electrochemical sensors offer sensitive detection but often require complex fabrication.
- Developing cost-effective and reproducible methods for electrode fabrication is crucial for widespread application.
- Three-dimensional (3D) printing presents a novel approach for creating customized electrochemical devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a simple fabrication method for electrochemical sensors using 3D printing.
- To optimize electrode parameters like thickness and diameter for enhanced performance.
- To demonstrate the reusability and analytical applicability of the fabricated sensors.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of electrodes using a polylactic acid and carbon black (PLA/CB) filament with a 3D printing pen and poly(methyl methacrylate) template.
- Optimization of electrode thickness and diameter, considering printing limitations and analytical signal integrity.
- Evaluation of fabrication reproducibility using relative standard deviation (RSD).
Main Results:
- Optimized electrodes exhibited reproducible fabrication (RSD = 4%) and reusable surfaces through simple sanding.
- The 3D-printed sensors showed comparable electrochemical responses to traditional glassy carbon electrodes without requiring surface treatment.
- Successful analytical performance was demonstrated for organic and inorganic species (paraquat, Pb2+, caffeic acid) and in total polyphenolic quantification in tea samples.
Conclusions:
- A straightforward and reproducible method for fabricating miniaturized, reusable electrochemical sensors using 3D-printed PLA/CB filament was established.
- The developed sensors provide a viable alternative to conventional electrodes, suitable for various analytical applications and paper-based microfluidic systems.
- This work highlights the potential of 3D printing for creating advanced electrode arrays and sensor platforms.
