Drawing Electrochemical Sensors Using a 3D Printing Pen

Abstract

This communication demonstrates that a 3D printing pen, commercially-available as a toy for kids, can be used to draw thermoplastic electrochemical sensors using conductive filaments over any desirable format and substrate. A polylactic acid filament containing graphene or carbon black was passed through the 3D pen that works as a handheld 3D printer (fused deposition modeling type). As proof-of-concepts, we select three designs, the first one analogous to a conventional carbon-paste electrode, the second one containing the three electrodes in a cylindrical tube and the third one similar to commercial screen-printed electrodes. The 3D pen was used to draw the thermoplastic electrodes inside the pockets of all devices until reaching the copper wires to establish electric contact. Customized 3D printed substrates were used to guide the application of the 3D pen. The fabricated electrodes were applied for the detection of dopamine and trace metals as well as to generate electrochemically a Prussian Blue modified sensor. Many other designs, conductive filaments and substrates can be combined with a 3D pen to draw electrochemical sensors as well as other electrochemical devices, with applications ranging from medical point-of-care platforms, energy-storage devices as well as for teaching purpose.