Conductive polymer inks

Conductive polymer-based ECG electrodes can be obtained by either composite film strips or direct depositing conductive polymer ink on textile fabric by digital... 

Researchers have already been using ink jet systems to print several types of novel materials, some of which have been used to fabricate circuit electrodes and interconnects. The four main types of materials used are metallo-organics, conductive polymers, molten metals, and metallic nanoparticle suspensions. 

Conducting carbon polymer ink, which filled a UV-ablated microchannel, was used to construct the integrated microelectrode on a plastic chip. Both chronoamperometry and CV were employed to detect a model compound (fer-rocenecarboxylic acid) down to 3 iM, corresponding to 0.4 fmol within a volume 120 pL [758], In another report, a carbon-paste electrode was constructed by filling a laser-ablated (PET or PC) channel with C ink. The whole structure was then cured at 70°C for 2 h [189]. 

Liu Z, Su Y, Varahramyan K. (2005) Inkjet-printed silver conductors using silver nitrate ink and their electrical contacts with conducting polymers. Thin Solid Films 478 275-279. 

The ability to provide more processable inherently conducting polymers, as described above, enables new approaches to device fabrication, including ink jet printing [153] and screen printing [154]. Photolithography has also been used to produce ICP patterns [155-157], while spin coating has been used to produce thin, even films [158]. 

Carbon blacks (c.b.s) have been known since ancient times, for preparing Indian ink. From the 1920s, c.b. has been fabricated industrially on a large scale by the thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons (natural gas) or aromatic hydrocarbons. Of the total production, 90% goes into the rubber industry, and most of this is employed for the reinforcement of tires. Production capacity is at present 7.2 million tonnes/y and the armual production is 6.1 million tormes/y [244] 95% of this global fabrication is by the furnace c.b. process [245]. The specific surface area As (nr/g) in this case covers a range from a few tens up to more than 1500. It should be mentioned that c.b. is used as a filler for conducting polymers [246]. 

The power of laser ablation can be extended as a popular method for trace and bulk analysis in conjunction with ICP-OES and is an invaluable tool in the study of surface behaviour particularly where sensitive surfaces are important. The common area for surface knowledge is in environment, medicines, adhesives, powders, slurries, oil-based samples and liquids. It finds application in the analysis of metallurgical samples, non-conductive polymers, ceramic materials, surface mapping, elemental migration, depth profiling, thin film coatings, biological and clinical specimens, forensic, paint chips, inks, bullets, fabrics, etc. 

Foulds and Lowe (1986) combined mass production of the base sensor and enzyme immobilization as follows. Using gold or platinum ink, a working and counter electrode were deposited on a ceramic substrate. After thermal treatment of the electrode material a solution containing GOD and a pyrrole derivative of ferrocene was electrochemically polymerized at the electrode. The pyrrole component forms a conducting polymer and the immobilized ferrocene acts as electron acceptor for GOD. The structured immobilization permits this technique to be used for successive enzyme fixation to multiparameter sensors. 

Numerous other types of electrically conductive polymer composites are commercially available but are beyond the scope of this chapter. These materials are used in such applications as conductive inks [1], thermoplastic molded monolithic objects for electrostatic dissipation (ESD) [2] and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications [3], and a wide variety of other applications, including heating elements, switches, transducers, and batteries [2]. Similarly, the fabrication of conductive polymer materials via metal vapor deposition or electrodeposition onto polymer surfaces will not be discussed here. 

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