Printed Paper- and Plastic-based Electrochemical Instruments for Biosensors

• Mobile diagnostics for healthcare, food safety and environmental monitoring demand a new generation of inexpensive sensing systems that can be produced in high volume to open up new market niches. By combining the virtues of printed biosensors and paper-based diagnostics, we have introduced a new disposable instrument range exploiting the latest advances in printed electronics. This approach combines the sophistication of advanced electrochemical biosensors with a simple manufacturing technique to create a use-and-throw instrument. The system is manufactured in ambient atmosphere.  All interconnections are printed and an anisotropic conductive glue is used for interconnection between the chip and conductors. The current chip is MICROCHIP-PIC24F16KA101 and this can be upgraded for advanced electroanalysis using a further chip such as the Texas Instrument LMP91000. The Enfucell 3V manganese dioxide battery is from our partner company. A vertical electrochrome display (VECD) is incorporated in the demonstrator. The display is produced in house by screen printing. The active electrode is made from a PEDOT:PSS ink and serves both as electro-chromic material and electrical conductor. A solid polymer electrolyte is printed on top of the active electrode and UV cured. The final layer is a screen-printed carbon-based top electrode. When a voltage is applied across the electrodes, a redox reaction occurs, in which the reduced electrode becomes dark blue. The display is paper-like in the sense that it works in reflective mode, that is, no backlight is used to light up the pixels. Screen-printed biosensors are then added as required based on Electrodag PF-407A ink (Henkel) incorporating stabilisers such as lacititol, detergent and binders together with a Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Performance of the overall system rivals that of current hand-held devices, but can be sold at a fraction of their cost.

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