Publications by authors named "Craig Banks"

Laser-induced graphene, which was first reported in 2014, involves the creation of graphene by using a laser to modify a polyimide surface. Since then, laser-induced graphene has been extensively studied for application in different scientific fields. One beneficial approach is the use of laser-induced graphene coupled with electrochemistry, where there is a growing need for disposable, conductive, reproducible, flexible, biocompatible, sustainable, and economical electrodes.

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  • The review focuses on the electroanalytical methods for determining levels of mycophenolate mofetil and mycophenolic acid, both important in immunosuppression for organ transplant patients and autoimmune disorders.
  • While laboratory techniques are common for measuring these substances, there is potential for developing more accessible, field-based measurement methods.
  • The authors highlight the advantages of electroanalysis, including its selectivity, sensitivity, cost-effectiveness, and capacity for on-site use, while suggesting avenues for future research in this area.
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  • Additive manufacturing electrochemistry has mainly been limited to aqueous environments, but the introduction of a new conductive poly(propylene) filament can broaden its applications to organic electrochemistry and electrosynthesis.
  • The filament, containing 40 wt% carbon black, demonstrates impressive thermal stability, flexibility at low temperatures, and high conductivity, allowing for the creation of reliable additive-manufactured electrodes.
  • These electrodes excel in multiple electrochemical applications, including highly sensitive environmental sensing, stability in organic solvents over time, and efficient electrosynthesis of chlorpromazine, showing potential to significantly advance the field.
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Norovirus (NoV) is the predominant cause of foodborne illness globally; current detection methods are typically expensive, have inadequate sensitivities, and utilize biological receptors with poor stability. Therefore, accurate, cost-effective, and highly stable detection methods are needed to screen for NoV in foods. We developed molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) to detect NoV using a small target epitope (12 amino acids) with a solid-phase synthesis approach.

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is a multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterium that poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating rapid and on-site detection methods for rapid recognition. The goal of the project is therefore to indirectly detect the presence of in environmental water samples targeting one of its quorum-sensing molecules, namely, ()--butyryl homoserine lactone (BHL). To this aim, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized via bulk free-radical polymerization using BHL as a template molecule.

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Al impurity is among the most likely components to enter the spent lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathode powder due to the strong adhesion between the cathode material and the Al current collector. However, high-value metal elements tend to be lost during the deep removal of Al impurities to obtain high-purity metal salt products in the conventional hydrometallurgical process. In this work, the harmful Al impurity is designed as a beneficial ingredient to upcycle high-voltage LiCoO by incorporating robust Al-O covalent bonds into the bulk of the cathode assisted with Ti modification.

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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent the most prevalent type of outpatient infection, with significant adverse health and economic burdens. Current culture-based antibiotic susceptibility testing can take up to 72 h resulting in ineffective prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics, poor clinical outcomes and development of further antibiotic resistance. We report an electrochemical lab-on-a-chip (LOC) for testing samples against seven clinically-relevant antibiotics.

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The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) affecting 537 million adults worldwide relies on invasive and costly enzymatic methods that have limited stability. Electroactive polypyrrole (PPy)-based molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (eMIPs) have been developed that rival the affinity of enzymes whilst being low-cost, highly robust, and facile to produce. By drop-casting eMIPs onto low-cost disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), sensors have been manufactured that can electrochemically detect glucose in a wide dynamic range (1 µm-10 mm) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 26 nm.

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Herein, we present the first 3D-printed electrochemical portable biodevice for the detection of monkeypox virus (MKPV). The electrochemical device consists of two biosensors: an immunosensor and a genosensor specifically designed for the detection of the protein A29 and a target DNA of MKPV, respectively. The electrodes were manufactured using lab-made ultraflexible conductive filaments composed of carbon black, recycled PLA from coffee pods, and castor oil as a plasticizer.

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  • Organic compounds and carbon materials, primarily made of carbon, are highlighted as ideal candidates for advanced electrochemical energy storage systems due to their low cost, eco-friendliness, renewability, and structural versatility.
  • The importance of carbonyl functionality in these compounds is emphasized, as it plays a critical role in various electrochemical mechanisms and processes, requiring an in-depth understanding of its chemistry.
  • The review addresses the redox activity, interactions, and characteristics of carbonyl units, discusses characterization technologies for exploring their properties, and outlines current challenges and future directions for enhancing the effectiveness of carbonyl chemistry in energy storage applications.
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This review aims to provide an overview of sustainable approaches that can be incorporated into well-known procedures for the development of materials, pre- and post-treatments, modifications, and applications of 3D-printed objects, especially for fused filament fabrication (FFF). Different examples of conductive and non-conductive bespoke filaments using renewable biopolymers, bioplasticizers, and recycled materials are presented and discussed. The main final characteristics of the polymeric materials achieved according to the feedstock, preparation, extrusion, and treatments are also covered.

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The structural failure of NaMn[Fe(CN)] could not be alleviated with traditional modification strategies through the adjustable composition property of Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), considering that the accumulation and release of stress derived from the MnN octahedrons are unilaterally restrained. Herein, a novel application of adjustable composition property, through constructing a coordination competition relationship between chelators and [Fe(CN)] to directionally tune the enrichment of elements, is proposed to restrain structural degradation and induce unconventional energy coupling phenomenon. The non-uniform distribution of elements at the M site of PBAs (NFM-PB) is manipulated by the sequentially precipitated Ni, Fe, and Mn according to the Irving-William order.

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The production, optimisation, physicochemical, and electroanalytical characterisation of a low-cost electrically conductive additive manufacturing filament made with recycled poly(lactic acid) (rPLA), castor oil, carbon black, and graphite (CB-G/PLA) is reported. Through optimising the carbon black and graphite loading, the best ratio for conductivity, low material cost, and printability was found to be 60% carbon black to 40% graphite. The maximum composition within the rPLA with 10 wt% castor oil was found to be an overall nanocarbon loading of 35 wt% which produced a price of less than £0.

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is listed as a priority 1 pathogen on the World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogen list. For this list of pathogens, new antibiotics are urgently needed to control the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant strains. This study assessed eighteen metal ions, graphene, and graphene oxide for their antimicrobial efficacy against in both planktonic and biofilm growth states and the potential synergy between metal ions and graphene-based compounds.

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Layered sodium transition-metal (TM) oxides generally suffer from severe capacity decay and poor rate performance during cycling, especially at a high state of charge (SoC). Herein, an insight into failure mechanisms within high-voltage layered cathodes is unveiled, while a two-in-one tactic of charge localization and coherent structures is devised to improve structural integrity and Na transport kinetics, elucidated by density functional theory calculations. Elevated Jahn-Teller [MnO] concentration on the particle surface during sodiation, coupled with intense interlayer repulsion and adverse oxygen instability, leads to irreversible damage to the near-surface structure, as demonstrated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and in situ characterization techniques.

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Additive manufacturing (3D-printing), in particular fused filament fabrication, presents a potential paradigm shift in the way electrochemical based biosensing platforms are produced, giving rise to a new generation of personalized and on-demand biosensors. The use of additive manufactured biosensors is unparalleled giving rise to unique customization, facile miniaturization, ease of use, economical but yet, still providing sensitive and selective approaches towards the target analyte. In this mini review, we focus on the use of fused filament fabrication additive manufacturing technology alongside different biosensing approaches that exclusively use antibodies, enzymes and associated biosensing materials (mediators) providing an up-to-date overview with future considerations to expand the additive manufacturing biosensors field.

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The first report of conductive recycled polyethylene terephthalate glycol (rPETg) for additive manufacturing and electrochemical applications is reported herein. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and carbon black (CB) were embedded within a recycled feedstock to produce a filament with lower resistance than commercially available conductive polylactic acid (PLA). In addition to electrical conductivity, the rPETg was able to hold >10 wt% more conductive filler without the use of a plasticiser, showed enhanced temperature stability, had a higher modulus, improved chemical resistance, lowered levels of solution ingress, and could be sterilised in ethanol.

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Mesalamine, known as 5-aminosalicylic acid, is a medication used primarily in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. 5-Aminosalicylic acid can be measured using various benchtop laboratory techniques which involve liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, but these are sophisticated and large, meaning that they cannot be used on-site because transportation of the samples, chemicals, and physical and biological reactions can potentially occur, which can affect the sample's composition and potentially result in inaccurate results. An alternative approach is the use of electrochemical based sensing platforms which has the advantages of portability, cost-efficiency, facile miniaturization, and rapid analysis while nonetheless providing sensitivity and selectivity.

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The biggest allure of heterogeneous electro-Fenton (HEF) processes largely fails on its high efficiency for the degradation of a plethora of hazardous compounds present in water, but still challenging to search for good and cost-effective electrocatalyst. In this work, carbon black (CB) and oxidised carbon black (CBox) materials were investigated as cathodes in the electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide involved in HEF reaction for the degradation of 2-phenylphenol (2PP) as a target pollutant. The electrodes were fabricated by employing carbon cloth as support, and the highest HO production yields were obtained for the CBox, pointing out the beneficial effect of the hydrophilic character of the electrode and oxygen-type functionalization of the carbonaceous surface.

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  • * The newly developed MWCNT/CB filament greatly outperforms traditional CB filaments, achieving nearly six times better electrochemical rates and effective detection capabilities for substances like acetaminophen and phenylephrine.
  • * A practical, print-at-home device utilizing this filament was created, allowing for the accurate detection of pharmaceuticals in real samples, with successful recovery rates ranging from 87% to 120%.
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Mixing of graphite and carbon black (CB) alongside recycled poly(lactic acid) and castor oil to create an electrically conductive additive manufacturing filament without the use of solvents is reported herein. The additively manufactured electrodes (AMEs) were electrochemically benchmarked against a commercial conductive filament and a bespoke filament utilizing only CB. The graphite/CB produced a heterogeneous rate constant, , of 1.

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Carbendazim is a broad-spectrum systemic fungicide that is used to control various fungal diseases in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. Carbendazim is also used in post-harvest applications to prevent fungal growth on fruits and vegetables during storage and transportation. Carbendazim is regulated in many countries and banned in others, thus, there is a need for the sensing of carbendazim to ensure that high levels are avoided which can result in potential health risks.

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  • Sepsis is a serious global health issue that requires improved diagnostic methods, but traditional tests like chemiluminescence immunoassay are expensive and inefficient for quick screenings.
  • Researchers developed a new immunosensor using dendritic copper nanostructures on a graphene electrode to detect the sepsis biomarker interleukin-6 (IL-6) faster and more affordably.
  • This new sensor demonstrated high sensitivity and accuracy, detecting IL-6 concentrations down to 0.02 pg/mL, and performed well in human serum samples compared to standard testing methods, indicating potential for early sepsis detection.
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The development and increase in the number of crops recently have led to the requirement for greater efficiency in world food production and greater consumption of pesticides. In this context, the widespread use of pesticides has affected the decrease in the population of pollinating insects and has caused food contamination. Therefore, simple, low-cost, and quick analytical methods can be interesting alternatives for checking the quality of foods such as honey.

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Recycling used mixed material additively manufactured electroanalytical sensors into new 3D-printing filaments (both conductive and non-conductive) for the production of new sensors is reported herein. Additively manufactured (3D-printed) sensing platforms were transformed into a non-conductive filament for fused filament fabrication through four different methodologies (granulation, ball-milling, solvent mixing, and thermal mixing) with thermal mixing producing the best quality filament, as evidenced by the improved dispersion of fillers throughout the composite. Utilizing this thermal mixing methodology, and without supplementation with the virgin polymer, the filament was able to be cycled twice before failure.

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