Visible laser scribing fabrication of porous graphitic carbon electrodes: Morphology, electrochemical properties and applications as disposable sensor platform
Vaughan, Eoghan; Larrigy, Cathal; Burke, Micheal; Sygellou, Labrini; Quinn, Aidan J.; Galiotis, Costas; Iacopino, Daniela
Date:
2020-09-23
Copyright:
© 2020, American Chemical Society. This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in ACS Applied Electronic Materials, after technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsaelm.0c00612
Full text restriction information:
Access to this article is restricted until 12 months after publication by request of the publisher.
Restriction lift date:
2021-09-23
Citation:
Vaughan, E., Larrigy, C., Burke, M., Sygellou, L., Quinn, A. J., Galiotis, C. and Iacopino, D (2020) 'Visible laser scribing fabrication of porous graphitic carbon electrodes: Morphology, electrochemical properties and applications as disposable sensor platform', ACS Applied Electronic Materials. doi: 10.1021/acsaelm.0c00612
Abstract:
Porous graphitic carbon electrodes were fabricated by laser scribing of commercial polyimide tape. The process was performed by a simple one-step procedure using visible wavelength laser irradiation from a low-cost hobbyist laser cutter. The obtained electrodes displayed a highly porous morphology, rich in three-dimensional (3D) interconnected networks and edge planes, suitable for electrochemical sensing applications. Spectral characterization by Raman and XPS spectroscopies revealed a crystalline graphitic carbon structure with high percentage of sp2 carbon bonds. Extensive electrochemical characterization performed with outer sphere [Ru(NH3)6]3+ and inner sphere [Fe(CN)6]4-, Fe2+/3+ and dopamine redox mediators showed quasi-reversible electron transfer at the graphitic carbon surface, mainly dominated by a mass diffusion process. Fast heterogeneous electron-transfer rates, higher than similar carbon-based materials and higher than other graphitic carbon electrodes produced by either visible or infrared laser irradiation, were obtained for these electrodes. Thin-layer transport mechanisms occurring in parallel to the main diffusion-limited mechanism were taken into consideration, but overall the observed enhanced electron-transfer rates effects were ascribed to the large specific surface area of the extended 3D porous network, rich in defects and edge-planes. The superior electrocatalytic properties of the fabricated electrodes allowed electrochemical differentiation between the biomarkers ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid in solution. The compatibility of fabricated electrodes with light-weight portable and handheld instrumentation makes such electrodes highly promising for the realisation of low-cost disposable sensing platforms for point-of-care applications.
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