3D Electrochemical Sensor and Microstructuration Using Aerosol Jet Printing

Abstract

Electrochemical sensors are attracting great interest for their different applications. To improve their performances, basic research focuses on two main issues: improve their metrological characteristics (e.g., repeatability, reusability and sensitivity) and investigate innovative fabrication processes. In this work, we demonstrate an innovative microstructuration technique aimed at increasing electrochemical sensor sensitivity to improve electrode active area by an innovative fabrication technique. The process is empowered by aerosol jet printing (AJP), an additive-manufacturing and non-contact printing technique that allows depositing functional inks in precise patterns such as parallel lines and grids. The 3D printed microstructures increased the active surface area by up to 130% without changing the substrate occupancy. Further, electrochemical detection of ferro/ferri-cyanide was used to evaluate the sensitivity of the electrodes. This evaluation points out a sensitivity increase of 2.3-fold on average between bare and fully microstructured devices. The increase of surface area and sensitivity are well linearly correlated as expected, verifying the fitness of our production process. The proposed microstructuration is a viable solution for many applications that requires high sensitivity, and the proposed technique, since it does not require masks or complex procedures, turns out to be flexible and applicable to infinite construction geometries.

Ion-Selective All-Solid-State Printed Sensors: A Systematic Review

“…Therefore, these novel printing techniques could lead to improvements in the fabrication methods that could lead to improvements in the metrological characteristics. A first possible improvement of the sensitivity could be obtained by combining a microstructuration with nanostructures, thus increasing the surfaceto-volume ratio of the layer and consequently the area available for the exchange with the membrane [1], [98]. A second possible improvement could be related to the possibility of going beyond 2D surfaces and printing on 3D objects.…”

Performance of Smart Materials-Based Instrumentation for Force Measurements in Biomedical Applications: A Methodological Review

“…SMs are characterized by extreme flexibility of use and manufacturing. In fact, in addition to the more traditional methods for the production of systems based on SMs, new technologies based on rapid prototyping methods for the production of ever-smarter systems are increasingly growing [63][64][65]. In the following sections, examples of the main applications of SMs in the biomedical field will be illustrated, with a focus on systems actually implemented for force measurement.…”