Graphene derivative-based ink advances inkjet printing technology for fabrication of electrochemical sensors and biosensors
Martin‐Alex Nalepa, David Panáček, Ivan Dědek, Petr Jakubec, Vojtěch Kupka, Vítězslav Hrubý, Martin Petr, Michal Otyepka
Abstract
The field of biosensing would significantly benefit from a disruptive technology enabling flexible manufacturing of uniform electrodes. Inkjet printing holds promise for this, although realizing full electrode manufacturing with this technology remains challenging. We introduce a nitrogen-doped carboxylated graphene ink (NGA-ink) compatible with commercially available printing technologies. The water-based and additive-free NGA-ink was utilized to produce fully inkjet-printed electrodes (IPEs), which demonstrated successful electrochemical detection of the important neurotransmitter dopamine. The cost-effectiveness of NGA-ink combined with a total cost per electrode of $0.10 renders it a practical solution for customized electrode manufacturing. Furthermore, the high carboxyl group content of NGA-ink (13 wt%) presents opportunities for biomolecule immobilization, paving the way for the development of advanced state-of-the-art biosensors. This study highlights the potential of NGA inkjet-printed electrodes in revolutionizing sensor technology, offering an affordable, scalable alternative to conventional electrochemical systems.