The Current Shortcomings and Future Possibilities of 3D Printed Electrodes.

3D printing has changed many industries and research areas, and it is poised to do the same for electrochemistry and electroanalytical sciences. The ability to easily shape electrically conductive parts in complex geometries, something very difficult to do using traditional manufacturing techniques, can now be easily accomplished at home, opening the possibility of fabricating electrodes and electrochemical cells with geometries that were once unimaginable. This ability can be a milestone in electrochemistry, allowing the fabrication of systems tailored to specific applications.

Gold film deposition by infrared laser photothermal treatment on 3D-printed electrodes: electrochemical performance enhancement and application.

3D printing has attracted the interest of researchers due to its creative freedom, low cost, and ease of operation. Because of these features, this technology has produced different types of electroanalytical platforms. Despite their popularity, the thermoplastic composites used for electrode fabrication typically have high electrical resistance, resulting in devices with poor electrochemical performance.

Sulfanilamide Electrochemical Sensor Using Phenolic Substrates and CO Laser Pyrolysis.

The concentration of environmental pollutants needs to be monitored constantly by reliable analytical methods since they pose a public health risk. Developing simple and affordable sensors for such pollutants can allow for large-scale monitoring economically. Here, we develop a simple electrochemical sensor for sulfanilamide (SFD) quantification using a phenolic resin substrate and a CO laser to pyrolyze the sensor geometry over the substrate.

Patterning (Electro)chemical Treatment-Free Electrodes with a 3D Printing Pen.

A simple fabrication method to make electrochemical sensors is reported. The electrodes were fabricated with a commercial filament based on polylactic acid and carbon black (PLA/CB). They were engineered with a three-dimensional (3D) printing pen and poly(methyl methacrylate) template.

Paper-based analytical devices for point-of-need applications.

Paper-based analytical devices (PADs) are powerful platforms for point-of-need testing since they are inexpensive devices fabricated in different shapes and miniaturized sizes, ensuring better portability. Additionally, the readout and detection systems can be accomplished with portable devices, allying with the features of both systems. These devices have been introduced as promising analytical platforms to meet critical demands involving rapid, reliable, and simple testing.

3D-printed sensor decorated with nanomaterials by CO laser ablation and electrochemical treatment for non-enzymatic tyrosine detection.

The combination of CO laser ablation and electrochemical surface treatments is demonstrated to improve the electrochemical performance of carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA) 3D-printed electrodes through the growth of flower-like NaO nanostructures on their surface. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the combination of treatments ablated the electrode's polymeric layer, exposing a porous surface where NaO flower-like nanostructures were formed. The electrochemical performance of the fabricated electrodes was measured by the reversibility of the ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple presenting a significantly improved performance compared with electrodes treated by only one of the steps.