Printing technologies for the fabrication of ion-selective electrodes

Abstract

The fabrication of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) via printing technologies such as screen-printing, inkjet printing, and 3D printing is attracting increasing attention due to the superb reproducibility and scalability of these technologies. In contrast to traditional manual casting, coating, and assembling procedures often used in research labs, printing methods are much more compatible with manufacturing processes in industry and, therefore, are easier to scale up. In this paper, we first summarized and compared the printing mechanisms and ink requirements of screen printing, inkjet printing, and 3D printing technologies. Then we present an overview of how different printing technologies can create sensor components, such as electrical contact layers, ion-to-electron transduction layers, ion sensing membranes, reference electrode membranes, insulation layers, and microfluidic/detection housings. The printing protocol, ink material, and sensor performance are highlighted for a few selected ISEs. This review concludes with a summary of the advantages and drawbacks of various printing technologies.