Abstract
Printing technology promises a viable solution for the low-cost, rapid, flexible, and mass fabrication of biosensors. Among the vast number of printing techniques, screen printing and inkjet printing have been widely adopted for the fabrication of biosensors. Screen printing provides ease of operation and rapid processing; however, it is bound by the effects of viscous inks, high material waste, and the requirement for masks, to name a few. Inkjet printing, on the other hand, is well suited for mass fabrication that takes advantage of computer-aided design software for pattern modifications. Furthermore, being drop-on-demand, it prevents precious material waste and offers high-resolution patterning. To exploit the features of inkjet printing technology, scientists have been keen to use it for the development of biosensors since 1988. A vast number of fully and partially inkjet-printed biosensors have been developed ever since. This study presents a short introduction on the printing technology used for biosensor fabrication in general, and a brief review of the recent reports related to virus, enzymatic, and non-enzymatic biosensor fabrication, via inkjet printing technology in particular.
Highlights
We have focused on the recent biosensor fabrication reports for inkjet printing technology in particular
Inkjet printing technology is limited by the fine tuning of ink viscosity and surface tension
The requirement for a certain range of viscosity limits the %wt of the functional materials in the ink, sometimes leading to the required amount of deposition being obtained only after multiple printing cycles. Since this limitation lies in a domain of ink development specific to inkjet printing, extensive research has been undergoing to overcome all sorts of application-specific limitations
Summary
Mask-based, contact-based, low production rate compared to roll-to-roll printing, material waste, high material consumption, limited for large scale production [94]. Drop-on-demand (DOD), maskless, can create patterns on non-planar surfaces, well-defined patterning, simple, capacity for mass production [95,96]. Roll-to-roll printing, rapid printing, comparatively low pressure required than gravure printing with better resolution, large-area patterning. High resolution down to nm scale, more flexible in terms of ink rheology as compared to inkjet printing, can create patterns on non-planar surfaces [112–114]. Contactless direct-writing technique, no requirement for masks or nozzles, ability to transfer materials both in liquid and solid phase [121]. Cannot transfer complex multi-component materials, weak bonding between material and substrate, suitable for a few materials only depending on the optical and mechanical properties of the material
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