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Optimizing Carbon Structures in Laser-Induced Graphene Electrodes Using Design of Experiments for Enhanced
Fabiane Fantinelli Franco1, Muhammad Hassan Malik2, Libu Manjakkal3
1Water and Environment Group, Infrastructure and Environment Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, U.K.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|November 14, 2024
Summary
Laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes were optimized using design of experiments, showing a 500% increase in nitrite oxidation compared to screen-printed electrodes. This method enables rapid production of high-performance graphene electrodes.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Commercially available graphene-sheet screen-printed electrodes (GS-SPEs) are widely used but can be outperformed by novel fabrication methods.
- Laser-induced graphene (LIG) offers a promising alternative for creating advanced carbon-based electrodes.
- Optimizing LIG fabrication is crucial for enhancing its performance and applicability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To optimize the fabrication of binder-free laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes using a design of experiments response surface (DoE-RS) approach.
- To compare the morphological and electrochemical properties of optimized LIG electrodes with commercially available graphene-sheet screen-printed electrodes (GS-SPEs).
- To investigate the potential of LIG electrodes for electrochemical sensing applications, specifically the oxidation of nitrite ions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a design of experiments response surface (DoE-RS) approach to optimize laser parameters (power, speed, focus) for LIG fabrication.
- Characterized LIG electrodes using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle analysis.
- Evaluated electrochemical performance through cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and differential pulsed voltammetry for nitrite ion oxidation.
Main Results:
- Achieved binder-free LIG electrodes in a single step with optimized laser parameters, resulting in sheet resistances of 25 ± 2 Ω/sq (LIG A) and 21 ± 1 Ω/sq (LIG B).
- LIG electrodes exhibited a highly porous morphology with increased hydrophilicity (contact angle <50°) compared to GS-SPEs.
- Demonstrated a 500% increase in peak current for nitrite oxidation and significantly improved sensitivity (420 ± 30 to 570 ± 10 nAμM⁻¹ cm⁻²) compared to GS-SPEs (73 ± 4 nAμM⁻¹ cm⁻²).
Conclusions:
- The DoE-RS approach effectively streamlines LIG fabrication, enabling rapid optimization and production of high-performance electrodes.
- Optimized LIG electrodes significantly outperform conventional GS-SPEs in terms of sensitivity and current response for nitrite oxidation.
- LIG electrodes represent a viable and superior alternative to commercial options for electrochemical sensing, with LIG A showing better resistance to ionic interference than LIG B.
