Development of highly sensitive electrochemical sensor using new graphite/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene conductive composite and 3D printing-based alternative fabrication protocol.

Here, a novel electrically conductive thermoplastic material composed of graphite/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (G/ABS) is reported for the first time. This material was explored on the production of 3D printing-based electrochemical sensors with enhanced sensitivity using a novel fabrication approach. The developed G/ABS electrodes showed lower charge transfer resistance (157 vs. 3279 Ω), higher electroactive area (0.61 vs. 0.19 cm) and peak currents ca. 69% higher when compared with electrodes fabricated using carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA) commercial filament, which has been widely explored in recent literature. Moreover, the G/ABS sensor provided satisfactory repeatability, reproducibility and stability (relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1.14%, 6.81% and 10.62%, respectively). This improved performance can be attributed to the fabrication protocol developed here, which allows the incorporation of greater amounts of conductive material in the polymeric matrix. The G/ABS electrode also required a simpler and quicker protocol for activation when compared to CB/PLA. As proof of concept, the G/ABS sensor was employed for electroanalytical quantification of paracetamol (PAR) in pharmaceutical products. The linear concentration range was observed from 0.20 to 30 μmol L and the limit of detection achieved was 54 nmol L, much lower than several recent studies dealing with the same analyte. The sensitivity of the G/ABS electrode regarding PAR was also far better when compared to CB/PLA sensor (0.50 μA/μmol L vs. 0.12 μA/μmol L). Analyses in commercial pill samples showed good accuracy (recoveries ca. 108%) and precision (RSDs < 5%), suggesting great potential for use of this novel conductive thermoplastic in electroanalytical applications based on 3D printing.