WorldWideScience

Sample records for screen printing

  1. Functional electronic screen printing – electroluminescent smart fabric watch

    OpenAIRE

    de Vos, Marc; Torah, Russel; Beeby, Steve; Tudor, John

    2013-01-01

    Motivation for screen printed smart fabrics.Introduce functional electronic screen printing on fabrics.Printed smart fabric watch design.Printing process for electroluminescent watch.Demonstration video.Conclusions and further work.Examples of other screen printed smart fabrics.

  2. Batch fabrication of disposable screen printed SERS arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Lu-Lu; Li, Da-Wei; Xue, Jin-Qun; Zhai, Wen-Lei; Fossey, John S; Long, Yi-Tao

    2012-03-07

    A novel facile method of fabricating disposable and highly reproducible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) arrays using screen printing was explored. The screen printing ink containing silver nanoparticles was prepared and printed on supporting materials by a screen printing process to fabricate SERS arrays (6 × 10 printed spots) in large batches. The fabrication conditions, SERS performance and application of these arrays were systematically investigated, and a detection limit of 1.6 × 10(-13) M for rhodamine 6G could be achieved. Moreover, the screen printed SERS arrays exhibited high reproducibility and stability, the spot-to-spot SERS signals showed that the intensity variation was less than 10% and SERS performance could be maintained over 12 weeks. Portable high-throughput analysis of biological samples was accomplished using these disposable screen printed SERS arrays.

  3. Realization of superconductive films by screen printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baudry, H.

    1988-01-01

    Screen printing is a promising method to manufacture superconductive lines making use of superconductive ceramics. An ink has been realized with YBa 2 Cu 3 0 7-x' and the process conditions defined by thermal analysis. A superconductive transition is observed after screen printing on MgO. The firing of the layer is made at 920 0 C followed by a reoxidation step at 420 0 C. The silver electrical contacts are also screen printed [fr

  4. Screen-printing ink transfer in a sexual assault case.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amick, Janeice F; Beheim, Chris W

    2002-05-01

    Yellow plastic-like particles were discovered on the clothing and body of a sexual assault victim. These particles were later associated to an athletic jersey with flaking yellow screen-printed numbers and letters, worn by the suspect. Depending on its intended substrate, screen-print ink can vary in color and composition. Particles dislodged from screen-printed garments may exhibit fabric impressions. Screen-printed clothing, commonly encountered in forensic casework, should be viewed as a potential source of trace evidence.

  5. Inkjet and screen printing for electronic applications

    OpenAIRE

    Medina Rodríguez, Beatriz

    2016-01-01

    Printed electronics (PE) is a set of printing methods used to create electrical devices on various substrates. Printing typically uses common printing equipment suitable for defining patterns on material, such as screen printing, flexography, gravure, offset lithography, and inkjet. Electrically functional, electronic or optical inks are deposited on the substrate, creating active or passive devices. PE offers a great advantage when compared to traditional processes or microelectronics du...

  6. A screen-printed flexible flow sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moschos, A; Kaltsas, G; Syrovy, T; Syrova, L

    2017-01-01

    A thermal flow sensor was printed on a flexible plastic substrate using exclusively screen-printing techniques. The presented device was implemented with custom made screen-printed thermistors, which allows simple, cost-efficient production on a variety of flexible substrates while maintaining the typical advantages of thermal flow sensors. Evaluation was performed for both static (zero flow) and dynamic conditions using a combination of electrical measurements and IR imaging techniques in order to determine important characteristics, such as temperature response, output repeatability, etc. The flow sensor was characterized utilizing the hot-wire and calorimetric principles of operation, while the preliminary results appear to be very promising, since the sensor was successfully evaluated and displayed adequate sensitivity in a relatively wide flow range. (paper)

  7. Screen-printed nanoparticles as anti-counterfeiting tags

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos-Cuerva, Carlos; Zieba, Maciej; Sebastian, Victor; Martínez, Gema; Sese, Javier; Irusta, Silvia; Contamina, Vicente; Arruebo, Manuel; Santamaria, Jesus

    2016-03-01

    Metallic nanoparticles with different physical properties have been screen printed as authentication tags on different types of paper. Gold and silver nanoparticles show unique optical signatures, including sharp emission bandwidths and long lifetimes of the printed label, even under accelerated weathering conditions. Magnetic nanoparticles show distinct physical signals that depend on the size of the nanoparticle itself. They were also screen printed on different substrates and their magnetic signals read out using a magnetic pattern recognition sensor and a vibrating sample magnetometer. The novelty of our work lies in the demonstration that the combination of nanomaterials with optical and magnetic properties on the same printed support is possible, and the resulting combined signals can be used to obtain a user-configurable label, providing a high degree of security in anti-counterfeiting applications using simple commercially-available sensors.

  8. A research on comprehension differences between print and screen reading

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szu-Yuan Sun

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Since the 1980s, extensive research has been conducted comparing reading comprehension from printed text and computer screens. The conclusions, however, are not very consistent. As reading from computer screens requires a certain degree of individual technical skill, such variables should be objectively taken into consideration when conducting an experiment regarding the comparison between print and screen reading. This study analyses the difference in the level of understanding of the two presentational formats (text on printed pages and hypertext on computer screens for people between 45-54 years of age (i.e. “middleaged” adults. In our experimental findings there were no significant differences between the levels of comprehension for print and screen presentations. With regard to individual differences in gender, age group and educational level, the findings are as follows: gender and education effects on print reading comprehension performance were significant, while those on screen reading comprehension performance were not. For middle-aged computer learners, the main effect of age group on both print and screen reading comprehension performance was insignificant. In contrast, linear texts of traditional paper-based material are better for middle-aged readers’ literal text comprehension, while hypertext is beneficial to their inferential text comprehension. It is also suggested that hypermedia could be used as a cognitive tool for improving middle-aged adults’ inferential abilities on reading comprehension, provided that they were trained adequately to use available computers.

  9. High-Performance Screen-Printed Thermoelectric Films on Fabrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sunmi; Kumar, Rajan; Roh, Jong Wook; Ko, Dong-Su; Kim, Hyun-Sik; Kim, Sang Il; Yin, Lu; Schlossberg, Sarah M; Cui, Shuang; You, Jung-Min; Kwon, Soonshin; Zheng, Jianlin; Wang, Joseph; Chen, Renkun

    2017-08-04

    Printing techniques could offer a scalable approach to fabricate thermoelectric (TE) devices on flexible substrates for power generation used in wearable devices and personalized thermo-regulation. However, typical printing processes need a large concentration of binder additives, which often render a detrimental effect on electrical transport of the printed TE layers. Here, we report scalable screen-printing of TE layers on flexible fiber glass fabrics, by rationally optimizing the printing inks consisting of TE particles (p-type Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 or n-type Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 ), binders, and organic solvents. We identified a suitable binder additive, methyl cellulose, which offers suitable viscosity for printability at a very small concentration (0.45-0.60 wt.%), thus minimizing its negative impact on electrical transport. Following printing, the binders were subsequently burnt off via sintering and hot pressing. We found that the nanoscale defects left behind after the binder burnt off became effective phonon scattering centers, leading to low lattice thermal conductivity in the printed n-type material. With the high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity, the screen-printed TE layers showed high room-temperature ZT values of 0.65 and 0.81 for p-type and n-type, respectively.

  10. The fabrication, characterisation and electrochemical investigation of screen-printed graphene electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randviir, Edward P; Brownson, Dale A C; Metters, Jonathan P; Kadara, Rashid O; Banks, Craig E

    2014-03-14

    We report the fabrication, characterisation (SEM, Raman spectroscopy, XPS and ATR) and electrochemical implementation of novel screen-printed graphene electrodes. Electrochemical characterisation of the fabricated graphene electrodes is undertaken using an array of electroactive redox probes and biologically relevant analytes, namely: potassium ferrocyanide(II), hexaammine-ruthenium(III) chloride, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD), β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), L-ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA) and dopamine hydrochloride (DA). The electroanalytical capabilities of the fabricated electrodes are also considered towards the sensing of AA and DA. The electrochemical and (electro)analytical performances of the fabricated screen-printed graphene electrodes are considered with respect to the relative surface morphologies and material compositions (elucidated via SEM, Raman, XPS and ATR spectroscopy), the density of electronic states (% global coverage of edge-plane like sites/defects) and the specific fabrication conditions utilised. Comparisons are made between two screen-printed graphene electrodes and alternative graphite based screen-printed electrodes. The graphene electrodes are fabricated utilising two different commercially prepared 'graphene' inks, which have long screen ink lifetimes (>3 hours), thus this is the first report of a true mass-reproducible screen-printable graphene ink. Through employment of appropriate controls/comparisons we are able to report a critical assessment of these screen-printed graphene electrodes. This work is of high importance and demonstrates a proof-of-concept approach to screen-printed graphene electrodes that are highly reproducible, paving the way for mass-producible graphene sensing platforms in the future.

  11. Patterning of PMMA microfluidic parts using screen printing process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahari Kaleibar, Aminreza; Rahbar, Mona; Haiducu, Marius; Parameswaran, Ash M.

    2010-02-01

    An inexpensive and rapid micro-fabrication process for producing PMMA microfluidic components has been presented. Our proposed technique takes advantages of commercially available economical technologies such as the silk screen printing and UV patterning of PMMA substrates to produce the microfluidic components. As a demonstration of our proposed technique, we had utilized a homemade deep-UV source, λ=254nm, a silk screen mask made using a local screen-printing shop and Isopropyl alcohol - water mixture (IPA-water) as developer to quickly define the microfluidic patterns. The prototyped devices were successfully bonded, sealed, and the device functionality tested and demonstrated. The screen printing based technique can produce microfluidic channels as small as 50 micrometers quite easily, making this technique the most cost-effective, fairly high precision and at the same time an ultra economical plastic microfluidic components fabrication process reported to date.

  12. Thermal Analysis of Braille Formed by Using Screen Printing and Inks with Thermo Powder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svіtlana HAVENKO

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In order to improve the integration of blind people into society, suitable conditions should be provided for them. The expansion of Braille (BR use could serve the purpose. Depending on the materials used for Braille, it can be formed or printed in different ways: embossing, screen printing, thermoforming, digital printing. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of thermal properties of screen printing inks and inks with thermo-powder on the qualitative parameters of Braille. Screen printing inks and inks with thermo-powder were chosen for the research. Carrying out the qualitative analysis of printouts with Braille, the thermal stability was evaluated by analyzing the thermograms obtained with derivatograph Q-1500. This paper presents the findings of the thermogravimetric (TG, differential thermogravimetric (DTG and differential thermal analysis (DTA of printouts printed on paperboard Plike and using traditional screen printing inks and screen printing inks with thermo-powder. Based on the testing findings it is determined that thermal stability of printouts printed with thermo-powder ink is higher than printed with screen printing inks. It is determined that the appropriate temperature range of screen printing inks with thermo-powder drying is 98 ºC – 198 ºC because in this case better relief of Braille dots is obtained.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.21.1.5702

  13. Screen-printed fluorescent sensors for rapid and sensitive anthrax biomarker detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Inkyu; Oh, Wan-Kyu; Jang, Jyongsik

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •We fabricated flexible anthrax sensors with a simple screen-printing method. •The sensors selectively detected B. anthracis biomarker. •The sensors provide the visible alarm against anthrax attack. -- Abstract: Since the 2001 anthrax attacks, efforts have focused on the development of an anthrax detector with rapid response and high selectivity and sensitivity. Here, we demonstrate a fluorescence sensor for detecting anthrax biomarker with high sensitivity and selectivity using a screen-printing method. A lanthanide–ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid complex was printed on a flexible polyethersulfone film. Screen-printing deposition of fluorescent detecting moieties produced fluorescent patterns that acted as a visual alarm against anthrax

  14. Properties and Printability of Inkjet and Screen-Printed Silver Patterns for RFID Antennas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmerón, José F.; Molina-Lopez, Francisco; Briand, Danick; Ruan, Jason J.; Rivadeneyra, Almudena; Carvajal, Miguel A.; Capitán-Vallvey, L. F.; de Rooij, Nico F.; Palma, Alberto J.

    2014-02-01

    We report the modeling, and geometrical and electrical characterization, of inkjet and screen-printed patterns on different polymeric substrates for use as antennas in radio-frequency identification (RFID) applications. We compared the physical and electrical characteristics of two silver nanoparticle-based commercial inkjet-printable inks and one screen-printable silver paste, when deposited on polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyetherimide (PEI) substrates. First, the thickness of the inkjet-printed patterns was predicted by use of an analytical model based on printing conditions and ink composition. The predicted thickness was confirmed experimentally, and geometrical characterization of the lines was completed by measuring the root-mean-square roughness of the patterns. Second, direct-current electrical characterization was performed to identify the printing conditions yielding the lowest resistivity and sheet resistance. The minimum resistivity for the inkjet-printing method was 8.6 ± 0.8 μΩ cm, obtained by printing four stacked layers of one of the commercial inks on PEI, whereas minimum resistivity of 44 ± 7 μΩ cm and 39 ± 4 μΩ cm were obtained for a single layer of screen-printed ink on polyimide (PI) with 140 threads/cm mesh and 90 threads/cm mesh, respectively. In every case, these minimum values of resistivity were obtained for the largest tested thickness. Coplanar waveguide transmission lines were then designed and characterized to analyze the radio-frequency (RF) performance of the printed patterns; minimum transmission losses of 0.0022 ± 0.0012 dB/mm and 0.0016 ± 0.0012 dB/mm measured at 13.56 MHz, in the high-frequency (HF) band, were achieved by inkjet printing on PEI and screen printing on PI, respectively. At 868 MHz, in the ultra-high-frequency band, the minimum values of transmission loss were 0.0130 ± 0.0014 dB/mm for inkjet printing on PEI and 0.0100 ± 0.0014 dB/mm for screen printing on PI. Although the

  15. Porous screen printed indium tin oxide (ITO) for NOx gas sensing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mbarek, H.; Saadoun, M.; Bessais, B.

    2007-01-01

    Tin-doped Indium Oxide (ITO) films were prepared by the screen printing method. Transparent and conductive ITO thin films were obtained from an organometallic based paste fired in an Infrared furnace. The Screen printed ITO films were found to be granular and porous. This specific morphology was found to be suitable for sensing different gaseous species. This work investigates the possibility of using screen printed (ITO) films as a specific material for efficient NO x gas sensing. It was found that screen printed ITO is highly sensitive and stable towards NO x , especially for gas concentration higher than 50 ppm and starting from a substrate working temperature of about 180 C. The sensitivity of the ITO films increases with increasing NO x concentration and temperature. The sensitivity and stability of the screen printed ITO based sensors were studied within time. The ITO crystallite grain size dimension was found to be a key parameter that influences the gas response characteristics. Maximum gas sensitivity and minimum response time were observed for ITO films having lower crystallite size dimensions. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  16. Screen printed Y and Bi-based superconductors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haertling, Gene H.; Hsi, Chi-Shiung

    1992-01-01

    High T(sub c) superconducting thick film was prepared by screen printing process. Y-based (YBa2Cu3O(7 - x)) superconducting thick films were printed on 211/Al2O3, SNT/Al2O3, and YSZ substrates. Because of poor adhesion of the superconducting thick films to 211/Al2O3 and SNT/Al2O3 substrates, relatively low T(sub c) and J(sub c) values were obtained from the films printed on these substrates. Critical temperatures of YBa2Cu3O(7 - x) thick films deposited on 211/Al2O3 and SNT/Al2O3 substrates were about 80 K. The critical current densities of these films were less than 2 A/cm(exp 2). Higher T(sub c) and J(sub c) films were printed on the YSZ substrates; T(sub c) = 86.4 K and J(sub c) = 50.4 A/cm(exp 2). Multiple lead samples were also prepared on the YSZ substrates. These showed lower T(sub c) and J(sub c) values than plain samples. The heat treatment conditions of the multiple lead samples are still under investigation. Bi-based superconductor thick films have been obtained so far. Improving the superconducting properties of the BSCCO screen printed thick films will be emphasized in future work.

  17. Colorectal Cancer Screening and Chinese Americans: Efficacy of Lay Health Worker Outreach and Print Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Tung T; Tsoh, Janice Y; Woo, Kent; Stewart, Susan L; Le, Gem M; Burke, Adam; Gildengorin, Ginny; Pasick, Rena J; Wang, Jun; Chan, Elaine; Fung, Lei-Chun; Jih, Jane; McPhee, Stephen J

    2017-03-01

    Chinese Americans have low colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates. Evidence-based interventions to increase CRC screening in this population are lacking. This study aims to compare the efficacy of two interventions in increasing CRC screening among Chinese Americans. Cluster randomized comparative trial. From 2010 to 2014, a community-academic team conducted this study in San Francisco, CA with Chinese Americans aged 50-75 years who spoke English, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Lay health worker (LHW) intervention plus in-language brochure (LHW+Print) versus brochure (Print). LHWs in the LHW+Print arm were trained to teach participants about CRC in two small group sessions and two telephone calls. Change in self-reports of ever having had CRC screening and being up to date for CRC screening from baseline to 6 months post-intervention. Statistical analysis was performed from 2014 to 2015. This study recruited 58 LHWs, who in turn recruited 725 participants. The average age of the participants was 62.2 years, with 81.1% women and 99.4% foreign born. Knowledge increase was significant (pPrint group and six in the Print group. Both groups had increases in having ever been screened for CRC (LHW+Print, 73.9%-88.3%, pPrint, 72.3%-79.5%, p=0.0003) and being up to date for CRC screening (LHW+Print, 60.0%-78.1%, pPrint, 58.1%-64.1%, p=0.0003). In multivariable analyses, the intervention OR for LHW+Print versus Print was 1.94 (95% CI=1.34, 2.79) for ever screening and 2.02 (95% CI=1.40, 2.90) for being up to date. Both in-language print materials and LHW outreach plus print materials increased CRC screening among Chinese Americans. The combination of LHW+Print was more effective than Print alone. These findings can guide clinicians and policymakers in choosing appropriate interventions to increase CRC screening among Chinese American immigrants. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00947206. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by

  18. Continuous fine pattern formation by screen-offset printing using a silicone blanket

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nomura, Ken-ichi; Kusaka, Yasuyuki; Ushijima, Hirobumi; Nagase, Kazuro; Ikedo, Hiroaki; Mitsui, Ryosuke; Takahashi, Seiya; Nakajima, Shin-ichiro; Iwata, Shiro

    2014-09-01

    Screen-offset printing combines screen-printing on a silicone blanket with transference of the print from the blanket to a substrate. The blanket absorbs organic solvents in the ink, and therefore, the ink does not disperse through the material. This prevents blurring and allows fine patterns with widths of a few tens of micrometres to be produced. However, continuous printing deteriorates the pattern’s shape, which may be a result of decay in the absorption abilities of the blanket. Thus, we have developed a new technique for refreshing the blanket by substituting high-boiling-point solvents present on the blanket surface with low-boiling-point solvents. We analyse the efficacy of this technique, and demonstrate continuous fine pattern formation for 100 screen-offset printing processes.

  19. Continuous fine pattern formation by screen-offset printing using a silicone blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomura, Ken-ichi; Kusaka, Yasuyuki; Ushijima, Hirobumi; Nagase, Kazuro; Ikedo, Hiroaki; Mitsui, Ryosuke; Takahashi, Seiya; Nakajima, Shin-ichiro; Iwata, Shiro

    2014-01-01

    Screen-offset printing combines screen-printing on a silicone blanket with transference of the print from the blanket to a substrate. The blanket absorbs organic solvents in the ink, and therefore, the ink does not disperse through the material. This prevents blurring and allows fine patterns with widths of a few tens of micrometres to be produced. However, continuous printing deteriorates the pattern’s shape, which may be a result of decay in the absorption abilities of the blanket. Thus, we have developed a new technique for refreshing the blanket by substituting high-boiling-point solvents present on the blanket surface with low-boiling-point solvents. We analyse the efficacy of this technique, and demonstrate continuous fine pattern formation for 100 screen-offset printing processes. (paper)

  20. Detection of Antibiotics and Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity with Screen-Printed Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florentina-Daniela Munteanu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This review provides a brief overview of the fabrication and properties of screen-printed electrodes and details the different opportunities to apply them for the detection of antibiotics, detection of bacteria and antibiotic susceptibility. Among the alternative approaches to costly chromatographic or ELISA methods for antibiotics detection and to lengthy culture methods for bacteria detection, electrochemical biosensors based on screen-printed electrodes present some distinctive advantages. Chemical and (biosensors for the detection of antibiotics and assays coupling detection with screen-printed electrodes with immunomagnetic separation are described. With regards to detection of bacteria, the emphasis is placed on applications targeting viable bacterial cells. While the electrochemical sensors and biosensors face many challenges before replacing standard analysis methods, the potential of screen-printed electrodes is increasingly exploited and more applications are anticipated to advance towards commercial analytical tools.

  1. Screen-printed silver-ink antennas for frequency-reconfigurable architectures in LTE phones

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barrio, Samantha Caporal Del; Holmgaard, Tobias; Christensen, Morten

    2014-01-01

    Screen printing is a proven manufacturing technology enabling high volume production at low cost. This letter investigates the achievable efficiency of a screen-printed silver antenna structure for 4G mobile phone implementation, with a market-ready solution. The contribution of each element...

  2. Rheological behavior of silver nanowire conductive inks during screen printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmati, Shohreh; Barkey, Dale P.; Gupta, Nivedita

    2016-08-01

    The rheological behavior of silver nanowire (AgNW) suspensions adapted for screen printing inks was investigated. Aqueous silver nanowire inks consisting of AgNW (length of 30 μm, and diameter of 40 and 90 nm), dispersant and binder were formulated. The effect of AgNW content on the rheological behavior of the ink and the build-up of ink structure after screen printing were examined as they depend on applied shear and temperature. Rheological measurements under conditions that mimic the screen printing process were done to assess viscoelastic properties induced by flow alignment of the wires and the subsequent recovery of the low shear structure. The Stretched Exponential model (SEmo) was used to model the recovery process after screen printing to obtain the characteristic time of the recovery or build-up process. The characteristic time was determined at several temperatures to obtain the activation energy of recovery. The domination of Brownian motion or non-Brownian motion behavior can be characterized by a Peclet number, which is the ratio of shear rate to the rotational diffusion coefficient. The Peclet number and the dimensionless concentration of wires were used to assess the recovery mechanism. The steady viscosity at low and high shear rates was also treated by an activation energy analysis.

  3. Rheological behavior of silver nanowire conductive inks during screen printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemmati, Shohreh; Barkey, Dale P.; Gupta, Nivedita

    2016-01-01

    The rheological behavior of silver nanowire (AgNW) suspensions adapted for screen printing inks was investigated. Aqueous silver nanowire inks consisting of AgNW (length of 30 μm, and diameter of 40 and 90 nm), dispersant and binder were formulated. The effect of AgNW content on the rheological behavior of the ink and the build-up of ink structure after screen printing were examined as they depend on applied shear and temperature. Rheological measurements under conditions that mimic the screen printing process were done to assess viscoelastic properties induced by flow alignment of the wires and the subsequent recovery of the low shear structure. The Stretched Exponential model (SEmo) was used to model the recovery process after screen printing to obtain the characteristic time of the recovery or build-up process. The characteristic time was determined at several temperatures to obtain the activation energy of recovery. The domination of Brownian motion or non-Brownian motion behavior can be characterized by a Peclet number, which is the ratio of shear rate to the rotational diffusion coefficient. The Peclet number and the dimensionless concentration of wires were used to assess the recovery mechanism. The steady viscosity at low and high shear rates was also treated by an activation energy analysis.

  4. Rheological behavior of silver nanowire conductive inks during screen printing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hemmati, Shohreh; Barkey, Dale P., E-mail: dpb@unh.edu; Gupta, Nivedita [University of New Hampshire, Department of Chemical Engineering (United States)

    2016-08-15

    The rheological behavior of silver nanowire (AgNW) suspensions adapted for screen printing inks was investigated. Aqueous silver nanowire inks consisting of AgNW (length of 30 μm, and diameter of 40 and 90 nm), dispersant and binder were formulated. The effect of AgNW content on the rheological behavior of the ink and the build-up of ink structure after screen printing were examined as they depend on applied shear and temperature. Rheological measurements under conditions that mimic the screen printing process were done to assess viscoelastic properties induced by flow alignment of the wires and the subsequent recovery of the low shear structure. The Stretched Exponential model (SEmo) was used to model the recovery process after screen printing to obtain the characteristic time of the recovery or build-up process. The characteristic time was determined at several temperatures to obtain the activation energy of recovery. The domination of Brownian motion or non-Brownian motion behavior can be characterized by a Peclet number, which is the ratio of shear rate to the rotational diffusion coefficient. The Peclet number and the dimensionless concentration of wires were used to assess the recovery mechanism. The steady viscosity at low and high shear rates was also treated by an activation energy analysis.

  5. Screen Printing of Highly Loaded Silver Inks on Plastic Substrates Using Silicon Stencils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyun, Woo Jin; Lim, Sooman; Ahn, Bok Yeop; Lewis, Jennifer A; Frisbie, C Daniel; Francis, Lorraine F

    2015-06-17

    Screen printing is a potential technique for mass-production of printed electronics; however, improvement in printing resolution is needed for high integration and performance. In this study, screen printing of highly loaded silver ink (77 wt %) on polyimide films is studied using fine-scale silicon stencils with openings ranging from 5 to 50 μm wide. This approach enables printing of high-resolution silver lines with widths as small as 22 μm. The printed silver lines on polyimide exhibit good electrical properties with a resistivity of 5.5×10(-6) Ω cm and excellent bending tolerance for bending radii greater than 5 mm (tensile strains less than 0.75%).

  6. Electrochemical characterisation of novel screen-printed carbon paste electrodes for voltammetric measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sýs Milan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This work is focused on the homemade screen-printed carbon paste electrode containing basically graphite powder (or glassy carbon powder, poly(vinylbchloride (PVC and paraffin oil. It compares the electrochemical properties of conventional carbon-based electrodes and prepared screen-printed carbon paste electrodes towards [Fe(CN6]3-/[Fe(CN6]4- and quinone/hydroquinone redox couples. Significant attention is paid to the development of the corresponding carbon inks, printing and the surface characterisation of the resulting electrodes by the scanning electron microscopy. An optimization consisted of the selection of the organic solvent, the optimal content of the used polymer with the chosen paste binder, appropriate isolation of electric contact, etc. Very similar properties of the prepared screen-printed electrodes, containing only corresponding carbon powder and 3 % PVC, with their conventional carbon paste electrode and glassy carbon-based electrodes, were observed during their characterisation. Screen-printed electrodes, with the pasting liquid usually provided satisfactory analytical data. Moreover, they can be used in the flow injection analysis and could undoubtedly replace the carbon paste grooved electrodes. It can be assumed that certain progress in the development of electrode materials was achieved by this research.

  7. Screen printed nanosized ZnO thick film

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    The ex- tracted powder was screen printed on glass substrates using ethyl cellulose as binder and turpinol as solvent. ... racterized and a thick film paste is prepared by adding suitable .... UV peak and a broad green emission which is usually.

  8. Leveling and thixotropic characteristics of concentrated zirconia inks for screen-printing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Phair, John; Lundberg, Mats; Kaiser, Andreas

    2009-01-01

    of ethyl cellulose (binder) content upon the thixotropic and leveling characteristics of zirconia inks. While the yield stress (τ 0), extent of recovery R(%), and rate of recovery (K) increase with increasing binder content, so did the surface roughness and thickness of the screen-printed films. Increasing...... the binder content not only increases the network strength of the thick films but also leads to increased leveling time. As a result, rheological modifiers are proposed to be necessary to improve the leveling characteristics of zirconia inks without losing the green strength of the thick films......Screen-printing is a cost-effective method for the mass manufacture of zirconia-based solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and oxygen separation membranes. The present work outlines an investigation into the leveling, thixotropic, and screen-printing characteristics of concentrated zirconia inks...

  9. Fabrication of digital microfluidic devices on flexible paper-based and rigid substrates via screen printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yafia, Mohamed; Shukla, Saurabh; Najjaran, Homayoun

    2015-05-01

    In this work, a new fabrication method is presented for digital microfluidic (DMF) devices in which the electrodes are generated using the screen printing technique. This method is applicable to both rigid and flexible substrates. The proposed screen printing approach, as a batch printing technique, is advantageous to the widely reported DMF fabrication methods in terms of fabrication time, cost and capability of mass production. Screen printing provides an effective means for printing different types of conductive materials on a variety of substrates. Specifically, screen printing of conductive silver and carbon based inks is performed on paper, glass and wax paper. As a result, the fabricated DMF devices are characterized by being flexible, disposable and incinerable. Hence, the main advantage of screen printing carbon based inks on paper substrates is more pronounced for point-of-care applications that require a large number of low cost DMF chips, and laboratory setups that lack sophisticated microfabrication facilities. The resolution of the printed DMF electrodes generated by this technique is examined for proof of concept using manual screen printing, but higher resolution screens and automated machines are available off-the-shelf, if needed. Another contribution of this research is the improved actuation techniques that facilitate droplet transport in electrode configurations with relatively large electrode spacing to alleviate the disadvantage of lower resolution screens. Thus, we were able to reduce the cost of fabrication significantly without compromising the DMF performance. The paper-based devices have already shown to be effective in continuous microfluidics domain, so the investigation of their applicability in DMF systems is worthwhile. With this in mind, successful integration of a paper-based microchannel with paper-based digital microfluidic chip is demonstrated in this work.

  10. Fabrication of digital microfluidic devices on flexible paper-based and rigid substrates via screen printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yafia, Mohamed; Shukla, Saurabh; Najjaran, Homayoun

    2015-01-01

    In this work, a new fabrication method is presented for digital microfluidic (DMF) devices in which the electrodes are generated using the screen printing technique. This method is applicable to both rigid and flexible substrates. The proposed screen printing approach, as a batch printing technique, is advantageous to the widely reported DMF fabrication methods in terms of fabrication time, cost and capability of mass production. Screen printing provides an effective means for printing different types of conductive materials on a variety of substrates. Specifically, screen printing of conductive silver and carbon based inks is performed on paper, glass and wax paper. As a result, the fabricated DMF devices are characterized by being flexible, disposable and incinerable. Hence, the main advantage of screen printing carbon based inks on paper substrates is more pronounced for point-of-care applications that require a large number of low cost DMF chips, and laboratory setups that lack sophisticated microfabrication facilities. The resolution of the printed DMF electrodes generated by this technique is examined for proof of concept using manual screen printing, but higher resolution screens and automated machines are available off-the-shelf, if needed. Another contribution of this research is the improved actuation techniques that facilitate droplet transport in electrode configurations with relatively large electrode spacing to alleviate the disadvantage of lower resolution screens. Thus, we were able to reduce the cost of fabrication significantly without compromising the DMF performance. The paper-based devices have already shown to be effective in continuous microfluidics domain, so the investigation of their applicability in DMF systems is worthwhile. With this in mind, successful integration of a paper-based microchannel with paper-based digital microfluidic chip is demonstrated in this work. (note)

  11. Graphene screen-printed radio-frequency identification devices on flexible substrates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arapov, K.; Jaakkola, K.; Ermolov, V.; Bex, G.; Rubingh, E.; Haque, S.; Sandberg, H.; Abbel, R.; de With, G.; Friedrich, H.

    2016-01-01

    Despite the great promise of printed flexible electronics from 2D crystals, and especially graphene, few scalable applications have been reported so far that can be termed roll-to-roll compatible. Here we combine screen printed graphene with photonic annealing to realize radio-frequency

  12. Disposable screen-printed sensors for determination of duloxetine hydrochloride

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alarfaj Nawal A

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A screen-printed disposable electrode system for the determination of duloxetine hydrochloride (DL was developed using screen-printing technology. Homemade printing has been characterized and optimized on the basis of effects of the modifier and plasticizers. The fabricated bi-electrode potentiometric strip containing both working and reference electrodes was used as duloxetine hydrochloride sensor. The proposed sensors worked satisfactorily in the concentration range from 1.0 × 10-6-1.0 × 10-2 mol L-1 with detection limit reaching 5.0 × 10-7 mol L-1 and adequate shelf life of 6 months. The method is accurate, precise and economical. The proposed method has been applied successfully for the analysis of the drug in pure and in its dosage forms. In this method, there is no interference from any common pharmaceutical additives and diluents. Results of the analysis were validated statistically by recovery studies.

  13. Screen-printed electrode for alkali-metal thermoelectric converter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hashimoto, T.; Shibata, K.; Tsuchida, K.; Kato, A. (Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Faculty of Engineering)

    1992-06-01

    An alkali-metal thermoelectric converter (AMTEC) is a device for the direct conversion of thermal to electric energy. An AMTEC contains sodium as working fluid and is divided into a high-temperature region (900-1300 K) and a low-temperature region (400-800 K) by [beta]''-alumina solid electrolyte. A high-performance electrode for an AMTEC must have good electrical conductivity, make a strong physical bond with low contact resistance to [beta]''-alumina, be highly permeable to sodium vapour, resist corrosion by sodium and have a low rate of evaporation at the operating temperature of the AMTEC. We have previously investigated the interaction of nitrides and carbides of some transition-metals (groups IV, V and VI) with [beta],[beta]''-alumina or liquid sodium (about 700degC) with the objective of finding a better electrode material for an AMTEC. The results showed that TiN, TiC, NbN and NbC were good candidates for AMTEC electrodes. We also showed that porous TiN film with low resistance can be prepared by the screen-printing method. In the present work the porous NbN film was prepared by the screen-printing method and the performance as the electrode of an AMTEC was examined. For comparison, the performance of TiN and Mo electrodes prepared by the screen-printing method was also examined. (author).

  14. Thermal Analysis of Braille Formed by Using Screen Printing and Inks with Thermo Powder

    OpenAIRE

    Svіtlana HAVENKO; Victoria KOCHUBEI; Marta LABETSKA; Svitlana KHADZHYNOVA; Edmundas KIBIRKŠTIS; Ingrida Venytė

    2015-01-01

    In order to improve the integration of blind people into society, suitable conditions should be provided for them. The expansion of Braille (BR) use could serve the purpose. Depending on the materials used for Braille, it can be formed or printed in different ways: embossing, screen printing, thermoforming, digital printing. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of thermal properties of screen printing inks and inks with thermo-powder on the qualitative parameters of Braille. Sc...

  15. Electrochemical characterization of screen-printed and conventional carbon paste electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo; Hernandez-Santos, David; Lamas-Ardisana, Pedro Jose [Departamento de Quimica Fisica y Analitica, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias (Spain); Martin-Pernia, Alberto [Departamento de Ingenieria Electrica, Electronica de Computadores y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, 33204 Gijon, Asturias (Spain); Costa-Garcia, Agustin [Departamento de Quimica Fisica y Analitica, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias (Spain)], E-mail: costa@fq.uniovi.es

    2008-04-01

    This work compares the electroactivity of a conventional carbon paste electrode and non-pretreated commercially available screen-printed carbon electrodes (from Alderon Biosciences, University of Florence and DropSens) towards some benchmark redox couples like hexaammineruthenium (III), ferricyanide, p-aminophenol and hydroquinone. While cyclic voltammograms of Ru{sup 3+} did not show significative electron transfer reactivity differences between the electrodes tested, the other redox systems exhibited higher reversible behaviours on DropSens electrodes. Scanning electron microscopy and roughness analysis with a profilometer were applied to detect the surface morphology of the working electrodes. The roughness evaluated of the screen-printed carbon working electrodes increased in this order Alderon < University of Florence < DropSens. Finally, the most electrochemically active and rough unpretreated electrode (DropSens commercial screen-printed electrode) was used to study the electrochemical-chemical reaction mechanism of indigo carmine oxidation in 0.1 M sulphuric acid. This study showed that the adsorption of the oxidation product of indigo carmine is stabilized when it is adsorbed on the surface of the electrode.

  16. Electrochemical characterization of screen-printed and conventional carbon paste electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo; Hernandez-Santos, David; Lamas-Ardisana, Pedro Jose; Martin-Pernia, Alberto; Costa-Garcia, Agustin

    2008-01-01

    This work compares the electroactivity of a conventional carbon paste electrode and non-pretreated commercially available screen-printed carbon electrodes (from Alderon Biosciences, University of Florence and DropSens) towards some benchmark redox couples like hexaammineruthenium (III), ferricyanide, p-aminophenol and hydroquinone. While cyclic voltammograms of Ru 3+ did not show significative electron transfer reactivity differences between the electrodes tested, the other redox systems exhibited higher reversible behaviours on DropSens electrodes. Scanning electron microscopy and roughness analysis with a profilometer were applied to detect the surface morphology of the working electrodes. The roughness evaluated of the screen-printed carbon working electrodes increased in this order Alderon < University of Florence < DropSens. Finally, the most electrochemically active and rough unpretreated electrode (DropSens commercial screen-printed electrode) was used to study the electrochemical-chemical reaction mechanism of indigo carmine oxidation in 0.1 M sulphuric acid. This study showed that the adsorption of the oxidation product of indigo carmine is stabilized when it is adsorbed on the surface of the electrode

  17. Analysis of the Optical Properties of Screen-Printed and Aerosol-Printed and Plated Fingers of Silicon Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Woehl

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available One main efficiency loss in industrial solar cells is the shading of the cell caused by the metal front side contacts. With the aerosol-printing technique plus an additional light-induced plating (LIP step, not only is the geometrical contact width narrowed compared to screen-printed contacts but also the shape of the finger changes. In this work, the effective shading of different finger types is analysed with two different measurement methods. The essential parameter for characterising the finger is the effective width which can be reduced drastically compared to the geometrical width due to total internal reflection at the glass-air layer and the reflection from the roundish edges of the contact fingers into the cell. This parameter was determined with different methods. It could be shown that for aerosol-printed fingers the effective (optical width is only 38% of its geometrical width, while for standard screen-printed fingers it is 47%. The measured values are compared to a theoretical model for an aerosol-printed and plated finger and are in good agreement.

  18. Disposable Screen Printed Electrochemical Sensors: Tools for Environmental Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akhtar Hayat

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Screen printing technology is a widely used technique for the fabrication of electrochemical sensors. This methodology is likely to underpin the progressive drive towards miniaturized, sensitive and portable devices, and has already established its route from “lab-to-market” for a plethora of sensors. The application of these sensors for analysis of environmental samples has been the major focus of research in this field. As a consequence, this work will focus on recent important advances in the design and fabrication of disposable screen printed sensors for the electrochemical detection of environmental contaminants. Special emphasis is given on sensor fabrication methodology, operating details and performance characteristics for environmental applications.

  19. Improved Manufacturing Performance of Screen Printed Carbon Electrodes through Material Formulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jewell, Eifion; Philip, Bruce; Greenwood, Peter

    2016-06-27

    Printed carbon graphite materials are the primary common component in the majority of screen printed sensors. Screen printing allows a scalable manufacturing solution, accelerating the means by which novel sensing materials can make the transition from laboratory material to commercial product. A common bottleneck in any thick film printing process is the controlled drying of the carbon paste material. A study has been undertaken which examines the interaction between material solvent, printed film conductivity and process consistency. The study illustrates that it is possible to reduce the solvent boiling point to significantly increase process productivity while maintaining process consistency. The lower boiling point solvent also has a beneficial effect on the conductivity of the film, reducing the sheet resistance. It is proposed that this is a result of greater film stressing increasing charge percolation through greater inter particle contact. Simulations of material performance and drying illustrate that a multi layered printing provides a more time efficient manufacturing method. The findings have implications for the volume manufacturing of the carbon sensor electrodes but also have implications for other applications where conductive carbon is used, such as electrical circuits and photovoltaic devices.

  20. High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varghese, Tony; Hollar, Courtney; Richardson, Joseph; Kempf, Nicholas; Han, Chao; Gamarachchi, Pasindu; Estrada, David; Mehta, Rutvik J; Zhang, Yanliang

    2016-09-12

    Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstrate a peak ZT of 0.43 along with superior flexibility, which is among the highest reported ZT values in flexible thermoelectric materials. A flexible thermoelectric device fabricated using the printed films produces a high power density of 4.1 mW/cm(2) with 60 °C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. The highly scalable and low cost process to fabricate flexible thermoelectric materials and devices demonstrated here opens up many opportunities to transform thermoelectric energy harvesting and cooling applications.

  1. Performances of screen-printing silver thick films: Rheology, morphology, mechanical and electronic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Jung-Shiun; Liang, Jau-En; Yi, Han-Liou [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia Yi 621, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Shu-Hua [China Steel Corporation, Kaohsiung City 806, Taiwan, ROC (China); Hua, Chi-Chung, E-mail: chmcch@ccu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chia Yi 621, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2016-06-15

    Numerous recent applications with inorganic solar cells and energy storage electrodes make use of silver pastes through processes like screen-printing to fabricate fine conductive lines for electron conducting purpose. To date, however, there have been few studies that systematically revealed the properties of the silver paste in relation to the mechanical and electronic performances of screen-printing thick films. In this work, the rheological properties of a series of model silver pastes made of silver powders of varying size (0.9, 1.3, and 1.5 μm) and shape (irregular and spherical) were explored, and the results were systematically correlated with the morphological feature (scanning electron microscopy, SEM) and mechanical (peeling test) and electronic (transmission line method, TLM) performances of screen-printing dried or sintered thick films. We provided evidence of generally intimate correlations between the powder dispersion state in silver pastes—which is shown to be well captured by the rheological protocols employed herein—and the performances of screen-printing thick films. Overall, this study suggests the powder dispersion state and the associated phase behavior of a paste sample can significantly impact not only the morphological and electronic but also mechanical performances of screen-printing thick films, and, in future perspectives, a proper combination of silver powders of different sizes and even shapes could help reconcile quality and stability of an optimum silver paste. - Highlights: • Powder dispersion correlates well with screen-printing thick film performances. • Rheological fingerprints can be utilized to fathom the powder dispersion state. • Good polymer-powder interactions in the paste ensure good powder dispersion. • Time-dependent gel-like viscoelastic features are found with optimum silver pastes. • The size and shape of functional powder affect the dispersion and film performances.

  2. Glucose biosensors based on a gold nanodendrite modified screen-printed electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Hsi-Chien; Tsai, Chung-Che; Wang, Gou-Jen

    2013-01-01

    In this study, an enzymatic glucose biosensor based on a three-dimensional gold nanodendrite (GND) modified screen-printed electrode was developed. The GNDs were electrochemically synthesized on the working electrode component of a commercially available screen-printed electrode using a solution acquired by dissolving bulk gold in aqua regia as the precursor. The 3D GND electrode greatly enhanced the effective sensing area of the biosensor, which improved the sensitivity of glucose detection. Actual glucose detections demonstrated that the fabricated devices could perform at a sensitivity of 46.76 μA mM −1 cm −2 with a linear detection range from 28 μM–8.4 mM and detection limit of 7 μM. A fast response time (∼3 s) was also observed. Moreover, only a 20 μl glucose oxidase is required for detection owing to the incorporation of the commercially available screen-printed electrode. (paper)

  3. Screen printing technology applied to silicon solar cell fabrication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornhill, J. W.; Sipperly, W. E.

    1980-01-01

    The process for producing space qualified solar cells in both the conventional and wraparound configuration using screen printing techniques was investigated. Process modifications were chosen that could be easily automated or mechanized. Work was accomplished to optimize the tradeoffs associated with gridline spacing, gridline definition and junction depth. An extensive search for possible front contact metallization was completed. The back surface field structures along with the screen printed back contacts were optimized to produce open circuit voltages of at least an average of 600 millivolts. After all intended modifications on the process sequence were accomplished, the cells were exhaustively tested. Electrical tests at AMO and 28 C were made before and after boiling water immersion, thermal shock, and storage under conditions of high temperature and high humidity.

  4. MOCVD ZnO/Screen Printed Ag Back Reflector for Flexible Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amornrat Limmanee

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We have prepared Ag back electrode by screen printing technique and developed MOCVD ZnO/screen printed Ag back reflector for flexible thin film silicon solar cell application. A discontinuity and poor contact interface between the MOCVD ZnO and screen printed Ag layers caused poor open circuit voltage (Voc and low fill factor (FF; however, an insertion of a thin sputtered ZnO layer at the interface could solve this problem. The n type hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H film is preferable for the deposition on the surface of MOCVD ZnO film rather than the microcrystalline film due to its less sensitivity to textured surface, and this allowed an improvement in the FF. The n-i-p flexible amorphous silicon solar cell using the MOCVD ZnO/screen printed Ag back reflector showed an initial efficiency of 6.2% with Voc=0.86 V, Jsc=12.4 mA/cm2, and FF = 0.58 (1 cm2. The identical quantum efficiency and comparable performance to the cells using conventional sputtered Ag back electrode have verified the potential of the MOCVD ZnO/screen printed Ag back reflector and possible opportunity to use the screen printed Ag thick film for flexible thin film silicon solar cells.

  5. The performance of silicon solar cells prepared by screen-printing technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mursyidah; Mohamed Yahaya; Muhammad Mohd Salleh

    2000-01-01

    Screen-printing technique is known to produce low cost solar cells. A study has been done to prepare silicon solar cells of n + -p and n + -p-p + structures. The p-type silicon wafers were used as substrates. The phosphorous layer was deposited on top of the substrate using the screen-printing technique. The wafer was then annealed at temperature 1000 degree C for 10 minutes, so that phosphorous atoms are thermally diffused into the wafer to form an n + -p junction. Meanwhile the boron film was deposited at the back surface of the substrate and annealed at temperature 900 degree C for 10 minutes to form a p + layer in the n + -p-p + device. The back and front metal contacts were made using screen-printing technique. The performance of the devices was evaluated from I-V curves measured in the dark and under illumination. It was found that the n + -p-p + device with short circuit current, I SC = 32 mA, open circuit voltage, V OC = 0.46 volt, fill factor, FF=0.63 and efficiency, η = 2.3%, was better than that of the n + -p device. The performance of the n + -p-p + device was successfully improved by depositing titanium dioxide on top of the device as anti-reflection coating using the screen-printing technique. The improved performance was I SC = 38 mA, V OC = 0.48 volt, FF = 0.67 and η = 3. 1%. (Author)

  6. Laser micromachining of screen-printed graphene for forming electrode structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Tien-Li; Chen, Zhao-Chi; Tseng, Shih-Feng

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Homogeneous graphene films were prepared by the screen-printing process. • Optimal single-line ablation was performed by ultraviolet nanosecond laser pulses. • Influence of ablation parameters on graphene/glass substrate was clarified. • Electrical measurements of ablated graphene-based device can be investigated. - Abstract: There has been increasing research interest in electronic applications of graphene-based devices fabricated using electrode patterning techniques. This study presents a laser ablation technique along with a screen printing process for fabricating graphene patterns on a glass substrate. First, homogeneous multilayer films on the glass substrate are coated with graphene ink by using the screen printing process. Subsequently, optimal ablation was performed using an ultraviolet nanosecond laser, and the effective number of pulses decreased with an increase in the scanning speed and a decrease in the overlapping rate. Here, the pulsed overlap of a laser spot was determined to be approximately 90% for 75 pulses at a scanning speed of 250 mm/s. Experimental results showed continuous single-line ablation along the laser scanning path in the graphene films. Furthermore, linear current–voltage (I–V) curves showed the multilayer graphene characteristics of ablated devices for forming electrode structures.

  7. Screen printed thick film based pMUT arrays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hedegaard, Tobias; Pedersen, T; Thomsen, Erik Vilain

    2008-01-01

    This article reports on the fabrication and characterization of lambda-pitched piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (pMUT) arrays fabricated using a unique process combining conventional silicon technology and low cost screen printing of thick film PZT. The pMUTs are designed as 8...

  8. Electroanalytical Sensing of Flunitrazepam Based on Screen Printed Graphene Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enriqueta Garcia-Gutierrez

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available We present a new electrochemical sensor for Flunitrazepam using disposable and economic Screen Printed Graphene Electrodes. It was found that the electrochemical response of this sensor was improved compared to Screen Printed Graphite Electrodes and displayed an excellent analytical performance for the detection of Flunitrazepam. Those characteristics could be attributed to the high Flunitrazepam loading capacity on the electrode surface and the outstanding electric conductivity of graphene. The methodology is shown to be useful for quantifying low levels of Flunitrazepam in a buffer solution. The protocol is also shown to be applicable for the sensing of Flunitrazepam in an alcoholic beverage e.g., Gordon’s Gin & Tonic.

  9. Screen printed silver top electrode for efficient inverted organic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Junwoo [Department of Printed Electronics, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Duraisamy, Navaneethan [Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Taik-Min [Department of Printed Electronics, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Inyoung, E-mail: ikim@kimm.re.kr [Department of Printed Electronics, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Kyung-Hyun, E-mail: amm@jejunu.ac.kr [Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Screen printing of silver pattern. • X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the face centered cubic structure of silver. • Uniform surface morphology of silver pattern with sheet resistance of 0.06 Ω/sq. • The power conversion efficiency of fabricated solar cell is found to be 2.58%. - Abstract: The present work is mainly focused on replacement of the vacuum process for top electrode fabrication in organic solar cells. Silver top electrode deposited through solution based screen printing on pre-deposited polymeric thin film. The solution based printing technology provides uniform top electrode without damaging the underlying organic layers. The surface crystallinity and surface morphology of silver top electrode are examined through X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The purity of silver is examined through X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. The top electrode exhibits face centered cubic structure with homogeneous morphology. The sheet resistance of top electrode is found to be 0.06 Ω/sq and an average pattern thickness of ∼15 μm. The power conversion efficiency is 2.58%. Our work demonstrates that the solution based screen printing is a significant role in the replacement of vacuum process for the fabrication of top electrode in organic solar cells.

  10. Screen printed silver top electrode for efficient inverted organic solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Junwoo; Duraisamy, Navaneethan; Lee, Taik-Min; Kim, Inyoung; Choi, Kyung-Hyun

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Screen printing of silver pattern. • X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the face centered cubic structure of silver. • Uniform surface morphology of silver pattern with sheet resistance of 0.06 Ω/sq. • The power conversion efficiency of fabricated solar cell is found to be 2.58%. - Abstract: The present work is mainly focused on replacement of the vacuum process for top electrode fabrication in organic solar cells. Silver top electrode deposited through solution based screen printing on pre-deposited polymeric thin film. The solution based printing technology provides uniform top electrode without damaging the underlying organic layers. The surface crystallinity and surface morphology of silver top electrode are examined through X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The purity of silver is examined through X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. The top electrode exhibits face centered cubic structure with homogeneous morphology. The sheet resistance of top electrode is found to be 0.06 Ω/sq and an average pattern thickness of ∼15 μm. The power conversion efficiency is 2.58%. Our work demonstrates that the solution based screen printing is a significant role in the replacement of vacuum process for the fabrication of top electrode in organic solar cells

  11. Screen-printed Tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) films for NH3 gas sensing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mbarek, Hedia; Saadoun, Moncef; Bessais, Brahim

    2006-01-01

    Gas sensors using metal oxides have several advantageous features such as simplicity in device structure and low cost fabrication. In this work, Tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) films were prepared by the screen printing technique onto glass substrates. The granular and porous structure of screen-printed ITO are suitable for its use in gas sensing devices. The resistance of the ITO films was found to be strongly dependent on working temperatures and the nature and concentration of the ambient gases. We show that screen-printed ITO films have good sensing properties toward NH 3 vapours. The observed behaviors are explained basing on the oxidizing or the reducer nature of the gaseous species that react on the surface of the heated semi-conducting oxide

  12. Stabilization of glucose-oxidase in the graphene paste for screen-printed glucose biosensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pepłowski, Andrzej; Janczak, Daniel; Jakubowska, Małgorzata

    2015-09-01

    Various methods and materials for enzyme stabilization within screen-printed graphene sensor were analyzed. Main goal was to develop technology allowing immediate printing of the biosensors in single printing process. Factors being considered were: toxicity of the materials used, ability of the material to be screen-printed (squeezed through the printing mesh) and temperatures required in the fabrication process. Performance of the examined sensors was measured using chemical amperometry method, then appropriate analysis of the measurements was conducted. The analysis results were then compared with the medical requirements. Parameters calculated were: correlation coefficient between concentration of the analyte and the measured electrical current (0.986) and variation coefficient for the particular concentrations of the analyte used as the calibration points. Variation of the measured values was significant only in ranges close to 0, decreasing for the concentrations of clinical importance. These outcomes justify further development of the graphene-based biosensors fabricated through printing techniques.

  13. Screen-printed piezoceramic thick films for miniaturised devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lou-Moeller, R.; Hindrichsen, Christian Carstensen; Thamdrup, Lasse Højlund

    2007-01-01

    machining. On the other hand, the process of screen printing thick films involves potential problems of thermal matching and chemical compatibility at the processing temperatures between the functional film, the substrate and the electrodes. As an example of such a miniaturised device, a MEMS accelerometer...

  14. Barium titanate thick films prepared by screen printing technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirjana M. Vijatović

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The barium titanate (BaTiO3 thick films were prepared by screen printing technique using powders obtained by soft chemical route, modified Pechini process. Three different barium titanate powders were prepared: i pure, ii doped with lanthanum and iii doped with antimony. Pastes for screen printing were prepared using previously obtained powders. The thick films were deposited onto Al2O3 substrates and fired at 850°C together with electrode material (silver/palladium in the moving belt furnace in the air atmosphere. Measurements of thickness and roughness of barium titanate thick films were performed. The electrical properties of thick films such as dielectric constant, dielectric losses, Curie temperature, hysteresis loop were reported. The influence of different factors on electrical properties values was analyzed.

  15. High-resolution patterning of graphene by screen printing with a silicon stencil for highly flexible printed electronics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyun, Woo Jin; Secor, Ethan B; Hersam, Mark C; Frisbie, C Daniel; Francis, Lorraine F

    2015-01-07

    High-resolution screen printing of pristine graphene is introduced for the rapid fabrication of conductive lines on flexible substrates. Well-defined silicon stencils and viscosity-controlled inks facilitate the preparation of high-quality graphene patterns as narrow as 40 μm. This strategy provides an efficient method to produce highly flexible graphene electrodes for printed electronics. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Application of polyaniline dispersions by means of screen printing

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Držková, M.; Peřinka, N.; Hajná, Milena; Kaplanová, M.; Stejskal, Jaroslav

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 19, č. 2013 (2013), s. 257-268 ISSN 1211-5541 R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TE01020022 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : polyaniline * colloids * screen printing Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering

  17. Investigation of the influence of heat transfer on screen printed textile conductor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazani, I.; De Mey, G.; Hertleer, C.; Guxho, G.; Van Langenhove, L.

    2017-10-01

    Two different textile substrates were screen printed with silver-based inks in order to be electrically conductive. In every textile four conductors were printed with different widths in order to investigate the influence of heat transfer on each conductor. This was done, by using the thermo graphic camera and through the evaluation of each conductor’s profile. It was found that the conductors printed on the white textile had higher values of heat transfer compared to the other conductors printed on the dark textiles.

  18. Fabrication of a wettability-gradient surface on copper by screen-printing techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Ding-Jun; Leu, Tzong-Shyng

    2015-01-01

    In this study, a screen-printing technique is utilized to fabricate a wettability-gradient surface on a copper substrate. The pattern definitions on the copper surface were freely fabricated to define the regions with different wettabilities, for which the printing definition technique was developed as an alternative to the existing costly photolithography techniques. This fabrication process using screen printing in tandem with chemical modification methods can easily realize an excellent wettability-gradient surface with superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity. Surface analyses were performed to characterize conditions in some fabrication steps. A water droplet movement sequence is provided to clearly demonstrate the droplet-driving effectiveness of the fabricated gradient surface. The droplet-driving efficiency offers a promising solution for condensation heat transfer applications in the foreseeable future. (paper)

  19. MEMS Accelerometer with Screen Printed Piezoelectric Thick Film

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hindrichsen, Christian Carstensen; Lau-Moeller, R.; Bove, T.

    2006-01-01

    A bulk-micromachined piezoelectric MEMS accelerometer with screen printed piezoelectric Pb(ZrxTil )O3(PZT) thick film (TF) as the sensing material has been fabricated and characterized. The accelerometer has a four beam structure with a central seismic mass (3600x3600x500 pm3) and a total chip size...

  20. A novel screen-printed microfluidic paper-based electrochemical device for detection of glucose and uric acid in urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Yong; Zhang, Chunsun

    2016-10-01

    A novel screen-printed microfluidic paper-based analytical device with all-carbon electrode-enabled electrochemical assay (SP-ACE-EC-μPAD) has been developed. The fabrication of these devices involved wax screen-printing, which was simple, low-cost and energy-efficient. The working, counter and reference electrodes were screen-printed using carbon ink on the patterned paper devices. Different wax screen-printing processes were examined and optimized, which led to an improved method with a shorter heating time (~5 s) and a lower heating temperature (75 °C). Different printing screens were examined, with a 300-mesh polyester screen yielding the highest quality wax screen-prints. The carbon electrodes were screen-printed on the μPADs and then examined using cyclic voltammetry. The analytical performance of the SP-ACE-EC-μPADs for the detection of glucose and uric acid in standard solutions was investigated. The results were reproducible, with a linear relationship [R(2) = 0.9987 (glucose) or 0.9997 (uric acid)] within the concentration range of interest, and with detection limits as low as 0.35 mM (glucose) and 0.08 mM (uric acid). To determine the clinical utility of the μPADs, chronoamperometry was used to analyze glucose and uric acid in real urine samples using the standard addition method. Our devices were able to detect the analytes of interest in complex real-world biological samples, and have the potential for use in a wide variety of applications.

  1. Fully Screen-Printed, Large-Area, and Flexible Active-Matrix Electrochromic Displays Using Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xuan; Lau, Christian; Liu, Yihang; Wu, Fanqi; Gui, Hui; Liu, Qingzhou; Ma, Yuqiang; Wan, Haochuan; Amer, Moh R; Zhou, Chongwu

    2016-11-22

    Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes are ideal semiconductors for printed electronics due to their advantageous electrical and mechanical properties, intrinsic printability in solution, and desirable stability in air. However, fully printed, large-area, high-performance, and flexible carbon nanotube active-matrix backplanes are still difficult to realize for future displays and sensing applications. Here, we report fully screen-printed active-matrix electrochromic displays employing carbon nanotube thin-film transistors. Our fully printed backplane shows high electrical performance with mobility of 3.92 ± 1.08 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , on-off current ratio I on /I off ∼ 10 4 , and good uniformity. The printed backplane was then monolithically integrated with an array of printed electrochromic pixels, resulting in an entirely screen-printed active-matrix electrochromic display (AMECD) with good switching characteristics, facile manufacturing, and long-term stability. Overall, our fully screen-printed AMECD is promising for the mass production of large-area and low-cost flexible displays for applications such as disposable tags, medical electronics, and smart home appliances.

  2. Mechanical polishing as an improved surface treatment for platinum screen-printed electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junqiao Lee

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The viability of mechanical polishing as a surface pre-treatment method for commercially available platinum screen-printed electrodes (SPEs was investigated and compared to a range of other pre-treatment methods (UV-Ozone treatment, soaking in N,N-dimethylformamide, soaking and anodizing in aqueous NaOH solution, and ultrasonication in tetrahydrofuran. Conventional electrochemical activation of platinum SPEs in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution was ineffective for the removal of contaminants found to be passivating the screen-printed surfaces. However, mechanical polishing showed a significant improvement in hydrogen adsorption and in electrochemically active surface areas (probed by two different redox couples due to the effective removal of surface contaminants. Results are also presented that suggest that SPEs are highly susceptible to degradation by strong acidic or caustic solutions, and could potentially lead to instability in long-term applications due to continual etching of the binding materials. The ability of SPEs to be polished effectively extends the reusability of these traditionally “single-use” devices. Keywords: Screen-printed electrodes, Polishing, Platinum, Activation, Pre-treatment, Cyclic voltammetry

  3. Flexible screen printed thick film thermoelectric generator with reduced material resistivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, Z; Koukharenko, E; Torah, R N; Tudor, J; Beeby, S P

    2014-01-01

    This work presents a flexible thick-film Bismuth Tellurium/Antimony Tellurium (BiTe/SbTe) thermoelectric generator (TEG) with reduced material resistivity fabricated by screen printing technology. Cold isostatic pressing (CIP) was introduced to lower the resistivity of the printed thermoelectric materials. The Seebeck coefficient (α) and the resistivity (ρ) of printed materials were measured as a function of applied pressure. A prototype TEG with 8 thermocouples was fabricated on flexible polyimide substrate. The dimension of a single printed element was 20 mm × 2 mm × 78.4 pm. The coiled-up prototype produced a voltage of 36.4 mV and a maximum power of 40.3 nW from a temperature gradient of 20 °C

  4. A Water-Based Silver-Nanowire Screen-Print Ink for the Fabrication of Stretchable Conductors and Wearable Thin-Film Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Jiajie; Tong, Kwing; Pei, Qibing

    2016-07-01

    A water-based silver-nanowire (AgNW) ink is formulated for screen printing. Screen-printed AgNW patterns have uniform sharp edges, ≈50 μm resolution, and electrical conductivity as high as 4.67 × 10(4) S cm(-1) . The screen-printed AgNW patterns are used to fabricate a stretchable composite conductor, and a fully printed and intrinsically stretchable thin-film transistor array is also realized. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Screen printed paper-based diagnostic devices with polymeric inks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Ju-Yen; Cheng, Chao-Min; Liao, Ying-Chih

    2015-01-01

    A simple and low-cost fabrication method for paper-based diagnostic devices (PBDDs) is described in this study. Street-available polymer solutions were screen printed onto filter papers to create hydrophobic patterns for fluidic channels. In order to obtain fully functional hydrophobic patterns for fluids, the original polymer solutions were diluted with butyl acetate to yield a suitable viscosity range between 30-200 cP for complete patterning on paper. Typical pH and glucose tests with color indicators were performed on the screen printed PBDDs. Images of the PBDDs were analyzed by computers to obtain calibration curves for pH between 2 and 12 and glucose concentration ranging from 10-1000 mmol dm(-3). Detection of formaldehyde in acetone was also carried out to show the possibility of using this PBBD for analytical detection with organic solvents. An exemplar PBDD with simultaneous pH and glucose detection was also used to demonstrate the feasibility of applying this technique for realistic diagnostic applications.

  6. Triaxial MEMS accelerometer with screen printed PZT thick film

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hindrichsen, Christian Carstensen; Almind, Ninia Sejersen; Brodersen, Simon Hedegaard

    2010-01-01

    . In this work integration of a screen printed piezoelectric PZT thick film with silicon MEMS technology is shown. A high bandwidth triaxial accelerometer has been designed, fabricated and characterized. The voltage sensitivity is 0.31 mV/g in the vertical direction, 0.062 mV/g in the horizontal direction...

  7. MammaPrint Pre-screen Algorithm (MPA) reduces chemotherapy in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    MammaPrint Pre-screen Algorithm (MPA) reduces chemotherapy in patients with early-stage breast cancer. ... An implementation study was designed to take advantage of the fact that the 70-gene profile excludes analysis of hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, which form part of ...

  8. Low irradiance photocatalytic degradation of toluene in air by screen-printed titanium dioxide layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strini, Alberto; Sanson, Alessandra; Mercadelli, Elisa; Sangiorgi, Alex; Schiavi, Luca

    2013-01-01

    Screen-printed titania photocatalytic layers made from Degussa P25 were studied in order to assess the potential of this deposition technology for the production of catalytic surfaces for airborne pollutant degradation. The deposited catalytic TiO 2 layers were characterized by a low density (about 25% of the titania bulk crystal) typical of very porous films. The study was carried out using toluene at low concentration (12 ppb) as model pollutant and with a low UV-A irradiance level on the sample surface (200 μW cm −2 ). The catalyst layers were deposited on alumina and quartz substrates demonstrating a good catalytic depollution activity. The relationship between the layer thickness and the catalytic activity was studied in the 1 to 6.8 μm range indicating an optimal 3–4 μm film thickness. Thicker layers do not show significant increases in the catalytic activity. The optical transmittance was studied using quartz substrate samples, showing a severely reduced photon flux for layers deeper than 5 μm. The effect of post-printing thermal treatment was studied in the 500–900 °C range, demonstrating good catalytic activity for processing temperatures ≤ 700 °C. These results indicate that the screen-printing process can be a promising technology for the realization of high efficiency photocatalytic materials for air depollution applications at low UV-A irradiance. - Highlights: • Screen-printed TiO 2 has a good catalytic activity in toluene air depollution. • The overall density of screen-printed TiO 2 layer is ∼ 25% of the bulk crystal density. • The catalytic activity is demonstrated at low UV-A irradiance (200 µW cm –2 ). • The catalytic activity is dependent on the layer thickness until ∼ 4 µm thickness. • The catalytic layer has good activity up to 700 °C post-printing thermal treatment

  9. Materials and methods for higher performance screen-printed flexible MRI receive coils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corea, Joseph R; Lechene, P Balthazar; Lustig, Michael; Arias, Ana C

    2017-08-01

    To develop methods for characterizing materials used in screen-printed MRI coils and improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with new lower-loss materials. An experimental apparatus was created to characterize dielectric properties of plastic substrates used in receive coils. Coils were fabricated by screen printing conductive ink onto several plastic substrates. Unloaded and sample loaded quality factor (Q Unloaded /Q Loaded ) measurements and scans on a 3T scanner were used to characterize coil performance. An experimental method was developed to describe the relationship between a coil's Q Unloaded and the SNR it provides in images of a phantom. In addition, 3T scans of a phantom and the head of a volunteer were obtained with a proof-of-concept printed eight-channel array, and the results were compared with a commercial 12-channel array. Printed coils with optimized substrates exhibited up to 97% of the image SNR when compared with a traditional coil on a loading phantom. Q Unloaded and the SNR of coils were successfully correlated. The printed array resulted in images comparable to the quality given by the commercial array. Using the proposed methods and materials, the SNR of printed coils approached that of commercial coils while using a new fabrication technique that provided more flexibility and close contact with the patient's body. Magn Reson Med 78:775-783, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  10. Application of Ammonium Bechromate and Potassium Bechromate as PhotoSensitive Emulsion to Sunlight Irradiation on Printing Screen for Textile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santoso-Sastrosoeparno

    2000-01-01

    The paste of photo sensitive emulsion that has been used in thepreparation for producing ready used printing screen contained two materials,namely the paste from monomer solution to be polymerized for strengtheningthe printing screen, and material for photo sensitive emulsion, usingammonium or potassium bichromate as common agent. From the previous studyabout producing printing screen from polyester, by using vinyl alcohol (VA)and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) as polymeric material, as well as ammoniumbichromate as photo sensitive emulsion, has obtained the best combination forpolymer mixture from 80% of vinyl alcohol and 20% of polyvinyl acetate. Inthis research study, the same activity will be subjected to either ammoniumor potassium bichromate, with assumption that there will be differentproperties between ammonium and potassium cations which might have influenceto the printing screen from polyester. Some various mixture of VA and PVAc aspolymeric materials were carried out in this study, and to each of thepolymeric paste was added the photo sensitive emulsion, either ammoniumbe-chromate or potassium bichromate, stirring to homogeneous condition,coating the surface of flat printing screen, allow to dry in the dark room(no light), apply to sunlight irradiation for few minutes, and followed bycuring process to become ready used as printing screen. The printing screenproduced in this experiment was then subjected to various testing, such asstiffness, strength retention and shearing strength in either length andwidth directions of the screen. It was shown from the testing results thatthe coated screen with potassium bichromate as photo sensitive emulsion willgain better properties in stiffness, strength retention as well as shearingstrength, in all polymeric mixtures, compared to the ones with ammoniumbe-chromate. (author)

  11. Performance characterization of screen printed radio frequency identification antennas with silver nanopaste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Dong-Youn; Lee, Yongshik; Kim, Chung Hwan

    2009-01-01

    The era of wireless communication has come and it is going to flourish in the form of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The employment of RFID tags in daily commodities, however, is constrained due to the manufacturing cost. Therefore, industries in the field have sought for alternative manufacturing methods at an ultra low cost and various printing processes have been considered such as inkjet, gravure, flexo, off-set and screen. Although such printing processes are age-old, their applications have been mainly limited to graphic arts and design rules for electronic appliances have not been fully established yet. In this paper, the selection of ink and printing process to fabricate RFID antennas is discussed. The developed silver nanopaste in the range of 20 to 50 nm without the inclusion of microparticles and flakes was sintered at 120 o C for 1 min, which is lower than that of conventional silver paste with microparticles and flakes, and its resistivity was found to be approximately 3 μΩ cm. The radiation performances of various screen printed RFID antennas with silver nanopaste were found comparable to those of copper etched ones.

  12. Performance characterization of screen printed radio frequency identification antennas with silver nanopaste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Dong-Youn, E-mail: dongyoun.shin@gmail.co [Nanomachine Research Division, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, 171 Jang-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yongshik, E-mail: yongshik.lee@yonsei.ac.k [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Yonsei University, 134 Sinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chung Hwan, E-mail: chkim@kimm.re.k [Nanomachine Research Division, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, 171 Jang-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-343 (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-09-01

    The era of wireless communication has come and it is going to flourish in the form of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The employment of RFID tags in daily commodities, however, is constrained due to the manufacturing cost. Therefore, industries in the field have sought for alternative manufacturing methods at an ultra low cost and various printing processes have been considered such as inkjet, gravure, flexo, off-set and screen. Although such printing processes are age-old, their applications have been mainly limited to graphic arts and design rules for electronic appliances have not been fully established yet. In this paper, the selection of ink and printing process to fabricate RFID antennas is discussed. The developed silver nanopaste in the range of 20 to 50 nm without the inclusion of microparticles and flakes was sintered at 120 {sup o}C for 1 min, which is lower than that of conventional silver paste with microparticles and flakes, and its resistivity was found to be approximately 3 {mu}{Omega} cm. The radiation performances of various screen printed RFID antennas with silver nanopaste were found comparable to those of copper etched ones.

  13. Development of a Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor Based on Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with Inkjet-Printed Prussian Blue Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Cinti

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available A sensor for the simple and sensitive measurement of hydrogen peroxide has been developed which is based on screen printed electrodes (SPEs modified with Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs deposited using piezoelectric inkjet printing. PBNP-modified SPEs were characterized using physical and electrochemical techniques to optimize the PBNP layer thickness and electroanalytical conditions for optimum measurement of hydrogen peroxide. Sensor optimization resulted in a limit of detection of 2 × 10−7 M, a linear range from 0 to 4.5 mM and a sensitivity of 762 μA∙mM–1∙cm–2 which was achieved using 20 layers of printed PBNPs. Sensors also demonstrated excellent reproducibility (<5% rsd.

  14. Influence of sintering temperature on screen printed Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yu; Huang Yanhua; Lee, Alex Y.S.; Wang Chiou Fu; Gong Hao

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The influences of sintering temperature on structure and properties of screen printed Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) were investigated. ► It was found that the direct optical band gap increased with increasing the sintering temperature. ► The screen printed CZTS film after sintering at 450 °C had a high photosensitivity (G i − G d )/G d of 14%. ► The hexagonal CuS phase aggregated after sintering at 500 °C and higher temperature. - Abstract: Screen printing is a useful and simple method for coating layers of several solar materials, but care must be taken in preparing stoichiometric CZTS film due to its instability at a high processing temperature and a small chemical potential domain. This paper reports screen printing prepared CZTS films and the influence of sintering temperature on CZTS properties. The thermostability, structural, electronic and optical properties are studied. The direct optical band gap energies of the films vary from 1.39 to 1.60 eV, while the resistivities change from 830 to 6 Ω cm after sintering at different temperatures up to 550 °C. A high photosensitivity of 14% is achieved for the sample sintered at 450 °C. The phenomena observed are also discussed.

  15. SCREEN-PRINTED TYROSINASE-CONTAINING ELECTRODES FOR THE BIOSENSING OF ENZYME INHIBITORS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Disposal amperometric inhibition biosensors have been microfabricated by screen printing a tyrosinase-containing carbon ink. The decrease in the substrate (catechol) steady-state current, caused by the addition of various pesticides and herbicides, offers convenient quantitation ...

  16. Performance Study of Screen-Printed Textile Antennas after Repeated Washing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazani I.

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The stability of wearable textile antennas after 20 reference washing cycles was evaluated by measuring the reflection coefficient of different antenna prototypes. The prototypes’ conductive parts were screen-printed on several textile substrates using two different silver-based conductive inks. The necessity of coating the antennas with a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU coating was investigated by comparing coated with uncoated antennas. It is shown that covering the antennas with the TPU layer not only protects the screen-printed conductive area but also prevents delamination of the multilayered textile fabric substrates, making the antennas washable for up to 20 cycles. Furthermore, it is proven that coating is not necessary for maintaining antenna operation and this up to 20 washing cycles. However, connector detachment caused by friction during the washing process was the main problem of antenna performance degradation. Hence, other flexible, durable methods should be developed for establishing a stable electrical connection.

  17. Facile synthesis of amorphous FeOOH/MnO2 composites as screen-printed electrode materials for all-printed solid-state flexible supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Qiang; Liu, Li; Yang, Shuanglei; Liu, Jun; Tian, Qingyong; Yao, Weijing; Xue, Qingwen; Li, Mengxiao; Wu, Wei

    2017-09-01

    More convenience and intelligence life lead by flexible/wearable electronics requires innovation and hommization of power sources. Here, amorphous FeOOH/MnO2 composite as screen-printed electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) is synthesized by a facile method, and solid-state flexible SCs with aesthetic design are fabricated by fully screen-printed process on different substrates, including PET, paper and textile. The amorphous FeOOH/MnO2 composite shows a high specific capacitance and a good rate capability (350.2 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 and 159.5 F g-1 at 20 A g-1). It also possesses 95.6% capacitance retention even after 10 000 cycles. Moreover, the all-printed solid-state flexible SC device exhibits a high area specific capacitance of 5.7 mF cm-2 and 80% capacitance retention even after 2000 cycles. It also shows high mechanical flexibility. Simultaneously, these printed SCs on different substrates in series are capable to light up a 1.9 V yellow light emitting diode (LED), even after bending and stretching.

  18. A Stretchable Electromagnetic Absorber Fabricated Using Screen Printing Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Heijun; Lim, Sungjoon

    2017-05-21

    A stretchable electromagnetic absorber fabricated using screen printing technology is proposed in this paper. We used a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate to fabricate the stretchable absorber since PDMS exhibits good dielectric properties, flexibility, and restoring capabilities. DuPont PE872 (DuPont, Wilmington, CT, USA), a stretchable silver conductive ink, was used for the screen printing technique. The reflection coefficient of the absorber was measured using a vector network analyzer and a waveguide. The proposed absorber was designed as a rectangular patch unit cell, wherein the top of the unit cell acted as the patch and the bottom formed the ground. The size of the patch was 8 mm × 7 mm. The prototype of the absorber consisted of two unit cells such that it fits into the WR-90 waveguide (dimensions: 22.86 mm × 10.16 mm) for experimental measurement. Before stretching the absorber, the resonant frequency was 11 GHz. When stretched along the x -direction, the resonant frequency shifted by 0.1 GHz, from 11 to 10.9 GHz, demonstrating 99% absorption. Furthermore, when stretched along the y -direction, the resonant frequency shifted by 0.6 GHz, from 11 to 10.4 GHz, demonstrating 99% absorption.

  19. Screen-printed sensor for batch and flow injection potentiometric chromium(VI) monitoring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanchez-Moreno, Raul A.; Gismera, M.J.; Sevilla, M.T.; Procopio, Jesus R. [Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Departamento de Quimica Analitica y Analisis Instrumental, Madrid (Spain)

    2010-05-15

    A disposable screen-printed electrode was designed and evaluated for direct detection of chromium(VI) in batch and flow analysis. The carbon screen-printed electrode was modified with a graphite-epoxy composite. The optimal graphite-epoxy matrix contains 37.5% graphite powder, 12.5% diphenylcarbohydrazide, a selective compound for chromium(VI), and 50% epoxy resin. The principal analytical parameters of the potentiometric response in batch and flow analysis were optimized and calculated. The screen-printed sensor exhibits a response time of 20 {+-} 1 s. In flow analysis, the analytical frequency of sampling is 70 injections per hour using 0.1 M NaNO{sub 3} solution at pH 3 as the carrier, a flow rate of 2.5 mL.min{sup -1}, and an injection sample volume of 0.50 mL. The sensor shows potentiometric responses that are very selective for chromium(VI) ions and optimal detection limits in both static mode (2.1 x 10{sup -7} M) and online analysis (9.4 x 10{sup -7} M). The disposable potentiometric sensor was employed to determine toxicity levels of chromium(VI) in mineral, tap, and river waters by flow-injection potentiometry and batch potentiometry. Chromium(VI) determination was also carried out with successful results in leachates from municipal solid waste landfills. (orig.)

  20. Anodic Voltammetric determination of gemifloxacin using screen-printed carbon electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abd-Elgawad Radi

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The electrochemical oxidation behavior and voltammetric assay of gemifloxacin were investigated using differential-pulse and cyclic voltammetry on a screen-printed carbon electrode. The effects of pH, scan rates, and concentration of the drug on the anodic peak current were studied. Voltammograms of gemifloxacin in Tris–HCl buffer (pH 7.0 exhibited a well-defined single oxidation peak. A differential-pulse voltammetric procedure for the quantitation of gemifloxacin has been developed and suitably validated with respect to linearity, limits of detection and quantification, accuracy, precision, specificity, and robustness. The calibration was linear from 0.5 to 10.0 μM, and the limits of detection and quantification were 0.15 and 5.0 μM. Recoveries ranging from 96.26% to 103.64% were obtained. The method was successfully applied to the determination of gemifloxacin in pharmaceutical tablets without any pre-treatment. Excipients present in the tablets did not interfere in the assay. Keywords: Screen-printed carbon electrode, Voltammetry, Gemifloxacin, Pharmaceutical analysis

  1. Screen-printed carbon-containing electrode modified with formazan for determining copper, lead, cadmium, and zinc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stozhko, N.Yu.; Aleshina, L.V.; Brajnina, Kh.Z.; Lipunova, G.N.; Maslakova, T.I.

    2004-01-01

    The electrochemical behavior of some hetarylated formazans introduced into the bulk of carbon-containing inks of screen-printed electrodes was studied. The compositions of complexes formed at the electrode surface were found, and their stability constants were estimated. It was shown that the modification of carbon-containing screen-printed electrode with 1-(o-chlorophenyl-3-phenyl-5-(6-methyl-4-oxo-pyrimidinyl-2)formazan improves its sensitivity, lowers detection limits for Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II), and ensures high precision of the results of voltammetric analysis [ru

  2. Reproduction of Bela Krajina Ornaments on Linen Fabrics by Screen Printing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatjana Rijavec

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Decorated Bela Krajina (White Carniolan towels called “otirači” are historical textiles, which represent an important cultural heritage of the Slovenian nation. This article presents the research of the suitability of the screen printing technique for reproducing ornaments from Bela Krajina towels, originally made with a technique called “tkaničenje”. The basic characteristics of woven fabrics, the colours of ornaments from Bela Krajina towels and the linen fabric, suitable for kitchen textiles, were analysed. Two Bela Krajina motifs were chosen for the decoration, namely a diamond and an eight-arm star. A comparison of the the colour diff erences, DE*ab , of the replica ornaments and the ornaments on the original towels made in blue and red colours showed a good match even after washing. It was confi rmed that the screen printing technique is suitable for decorating linen textiles with the original Bela Krajina ornaments, wherein the ornaments retaining their aesthetic and message values.

  3. Screen-Printed Flexible Bandstop Filter on Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrate Based on Ag Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajendra Dhakal

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a low-power, cost-effective, highly reproducible, and disposable bandstop filter by employing high-throughput screen-printing technology. We apply large-scale printing strategies using silver-nanoparticle-based ink for the metallization of conductive wires to fabricate a bandstop filter on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET substrate. The filter exhibits an attenuation pole at 4.35 GHz with excellent in-and-out band characteristics. These characteristics reflect a rejection depth that is better than −25 dB with a return loss of −0.75 dB at the normal orientation of the PET substrate. In addition, the filter characteristics are observed at various bending angles (0°, 10°, and 20° of the PET substrate with an excellent relative standard deviation of less than 0.5%. These results confirm the accuracy, reproducibility, and independence of the resonance frequency. This screen-printing technology for well-defined nanostructures is more favorable than other complex photolithographic processes because it overcomes signal losses due to uneven surface distributions and thereby reveals a homogeneous distribution. Moreover, the proposed methodology enables incremental steps in the process of producing highly flexible and cost-effective printed-electronic radio devices.

  4. Nanotechnology: A Tool for Improved Performance on Electrochemical Screen-Printed (BioSensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Jubete

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Screen-printing technology is a low-cost process, widely used in electronics production, especially in the fabrication of disposable electrodes for (biosensor applications. The pastes used for deposition of the successive layers are based on a polymeric binder with metallic dispersions or graphite, and can also contain functional materials such as cofactors, stabilizers and mediators. More recently metal nanoparticles, nanowires and carbon nanotubes have also been included either in these pastes or as a later stage on the working electrode. This review will summarize the use of nanomaterials to improve the electrochemical sensing capability of screen-printed sensors. It will cover mainly disposable sensors and biosensors for biomedical interest and toxicity monitoring, compiling recent examples where several types of metallic and carbon-based nanostructures are responsible for enhancing the performance of these devices.

  5. The challenge of screen printed Ag metallization on nano-scale poly-silicon passivated contacts for silicon solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Lin; Song, Lixin; Yan, Li; Becht, Gregory; Zhang, Yi; Hoerteis, Matthias

    2017-08-01

    Passivated contacts can be used to reduce metal-induced recombination for higher energy conversion efficiency for silicon solar cells, and are obtained increasing attentions by PV industries in recent years. The reported thicknesses of passivated contact layers are mostly within tens of nanometer range, and the corresponding metallization methods are realized mainly by plating/evaporation technology. This high cost metallization cannot compete with the screen printing technology, and may affect its market potential comparing with the presently dominant solar cell technology. Very few works have been reported on screen printing metallization on passivated contact solar cells. Hence, there is a rising demand to realize screen printing metallization technology on this topic. In this work, we investigate applying screen printing metallization pastes on poly-silicon passivated contacts. The critical challenge for us is to build low contact resistance that can be competitive to standard technology while restricting the paste penetrations within the thin nano-scale passivated contact layers. The contact resistivity of 1.1mohm-cm2 and the open circuit voltages > 660mV are achieved, and the most appropriate thickness range is estimated to be around 80 150nm.

  6. Water Fastness of Screen Printed Pearl Luster Pigments based on Synthetic and Natural Mica on Polyvinyl Chloride Foil and Rich Mineral Paper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirica Karlovits

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study attempts to examine water fastness of screen printed pearl luster pigments based on synthetic and natural mica on polyvinyl chloride foil and Rich Mineral Paper. Three types of pearl luster pigments were used, each different from the other in composition, interference colour and particle size: one pigment based on synthetic mica (Pigment 1 and two pigments based on natural mica (Pigment 2 and Pigment 3. Pearl luster pigments were applied to the printing base (PVC transparent base in 15wt.% concentration and printed by means of screen printing technique. The test of water fastness was made on prints, where the samples were soaked in distilled water for 6 and 12 days. It was established that this water treatment did not have any significant impact on the durability of screen printed pearl luster pigments. The pigments could demonstrate slightly better water fastness after being printed on Rich Mineral Paper.

  7. Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes: Application to on-site monitoring of liquid fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almeida, Eduardo S.; Silva, Luiz A.J.; Sousa, Raquel M.F.; Richter, Eduardo M.; Foster, Christopher W.; Banks, Craig E.; Munoz, Rodrigo A.A.

    2016-01-01

    This work presents the potential application of organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGEs) for fuel analysis. The required analysis of the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (2,6-DTBP) in biodiesel and jet fuel is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept. The screen-printing of graphite, Ag/AgCl and insulator inks on a polyester substrate (250 μm thickness) resulted in SPGEs highly compatible with liquid fuels. SPGEs were placed on a batch-injection analysis (BIA) cell, which was filled with a hydroethanolic solution containing 99% v/v ethanol and 0.1 mol L −1 HClO 4 (electrolyte). An electronic micropipette was connected to the cell to perform injections (100 μL) of sample or standard solutions. Over 200 injections can be injected continuously without replacing electrolyte and SPGE strip. Amperometric detection (+1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl) of 2,6-DTBP provided fast (around 8 s) and precise (RSD = 0.7%, n = 12) determinations using an external calibration curve. The method was applied for the analysis of biodiesel and aviation jet fuel samples and comparable results with liquid and gas chromatographic analyses, typically required for biodiesel and jet fuel samples, were obtained. Hence, these SPGE strips are completely compatible with organic samples and their combination with the BIA cell shows great promise for routine and portable analysis of fuels and other organic liquid samples without requiring sophisticated sample treatments. - Highlights: • Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGE) for (bio)fuels. • Screen-printing of conductive and insulator inks on thin polyester substrate. • Continuous detection of antioxidants in electrolyte with 99% v/v ethanol. • SPGE coupled with batch-injection analysis allows over 200 injections (100 μL). • Similar results to GC and HPLC analyses of biodiesel and aviation jet fuels.

  8. Lay health educators and print materials for the promotion of colorectal cancer screening among Korean Americans: A randomized comparative effectiveness study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jo, Angela M; Nguyen, Tung T; Stewart, Susan; Sung, Min J; Gildengorin, Ginny; Tsoh, Janice Y; Tong, Elisa K; Lo, Penny; Cuaresma, Charlene; Sy, Angela; Lam, Hy; Wong, Ching; Jeong, Matthew; Chen, Moon S; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie

    2017-07-15

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among Korean American men and women. Although CRC screening is effective in reducing the burden of this disease, studies have shown that Korean Americans have low screening rates. The authors conducted a 2-arm cluster randomized controlled trial comparing a brochure (print) with a brochure and lay health educator (LHE) outreach (print + LHE) in increasing CRC screening rates among Korean American individuals. Self-administered written surveys at baseline and at 6 months assessed knowledge of CRC and its screening, ever screening, and being up to date with screening. A total of 28 LHEs recruited 348 participants aged 50 to 75 years from their social networks. Significant percentages of participants reported not having health insurance (29.3%) or a usual source of care (35.6%). At 6 months postintervention, the print + LHE participants had a greater increase in knowledge compared with those in the print arm (P = .0013). In multivariable analyses, both groups had significant increases in ever screening (print plus LHE: odds ratio [OR], 1.60 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.26-2.03] and print: OR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.10-1.82]) and being up to date with screening (print plus LHE: OR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.23-2.16] and print: OR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.04-1.89]). However, these increases did not differ significantly between the study arms. Having insurance and having seen a provider within the past year were found to be positively associated with screening. Compared with a brochure, LHE outreach yielded greater increases in knowledge but resulted in similar increases in CRC screening in a Korean American population with barriers to health care access. More work is needed to appropriately address logistical and system barriers in this community. Cancer 2017;123:2705-15. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

  9. Packaging Printing Today

    OpenAIRE

    Stanislav Bolanča; Igor Majnarić; Kristijan Golubović

    2015-01-01

    Printing packaging covers today about 50% of all the printing products. Among the printing products there are printing on labels, printing on flexible packaging, printing on folding boxes, printing on the boxes of corrugated board, printing on glass packaging, synthetic and metal ones. The mentioned packaging are printed in flexo printing technique, offset printing technique, intaglio halftone process, silk – screen printing, ink ball printing, digital printing and hybrid printing process. T...

  10. Formulation and screen printing of water based conductive flake silver pastes onto green ceramic tapes for electronic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faddoul, Rita; Reverdy-Bruas, Nadège; Blayo, Anne

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Formulation of water-based pastes. ► Viscosity, yield stress, elastic and viscous modulus determination. ► Screen printing onto green ceramic tapes. ► Rheology effect on line dimensions and electrical properties. ► Resistivity ∼18–33 nΩ m. Minimum width ∼60 μm after sintering. - Abstract: Environmentally friendly, water-based silver pastes, adapted for screen printing, were formulated with different silver contents (67–75%). These pastes allowed screen printing onto low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) of narrow conductive tracks with a 60 μm line width and a 3 × 10 −8 Ω m electrical resistivity. Inks were formulated with a mixture of spherical and flake shape silver particles with 2–4 μm mean diameter. Rheological behaviour of pastes was studied in order to determine its effect on printed lines properties. Prepared inks were then screen printed and sintered under normal atmosphere at 875 °C. As expected, electrical properties depended on silver content. Resistivity values varying from 1.6 × 10 −8 to 3.3 × 10 −8 Ω m were calculated over 36.3 cm line length. These values are very close to bulk silver resistivity (1.6 × 10 −8 Ω m). Compared to previous research and commercial pastes, the newly formulated pastes reached equivalent or even better conductivities with lower silver content (70% by weight).

  11. Disposable screen-printed bismuth electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes for electrochemical stripping measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Xiangheng; Zhao, Hongli; Lan, Minbo

    2011-01-01

    Integrating the advantages of screen printing technology with the encouraging electroanalytical characteristic of metallic bismuth, we developed an ultrasensitive and disposable screen-printed bismuth electrode (SPBE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for electrochemical stripping measurements. Metallic bismuth powders and MWCNTs were homogeneously mixed with graphite-carbon ink to mass-prepare screen-printed bismuth electrode doped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SPBE/MWCNT). The electroanalytical performance of the prepared SPBE/MWCNT was intensively evaluated by measuring trace Hg(II) with square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). The results indicated that the SPBE modified with 2 wt% MWCNTs could offer a more sensitive response to trace Hg(II) than the bare SPBE. The stripping current obtained at SPBE/MWCNT was linear with Hg(II) concentration in the range from 0.2 to 40 µg/L (R(2) = 0.9976), with a detection limit of 0.09 µg/L (S/N = 3) under 180 s accumulation. The proposed "mercury-free" electrode, with extremely simple preparation and ultrahigh sensitivity, holds wide application prospects in both environmental and industrial monitoring. 2011 © The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry

  12. A novel screen-printed electrode array for rapid high-throughput detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Shuai; Wang, Xiao; Li, Yuan-Ting; Wang, Yang; Li, Da-Wei; Long, Yi-Tao

    2012-07-21

    A novel multi-channel electrode array sensing device was fabricated by screen-printing techniques using 96-well plate as the template. To confirm its practical value, we developed a one-step preparation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) doped electrode array by an ink containing MWCNTs, which was applied to the simultaneous detection of a variety of biological samples and environmental pollutants. Results demonstrated that the designed sensing device could carry out the multiple measurements of different analytes at the same time, while MWCNTs enhanced the electrocatalytic activity of electrodes toward electroactive molecules. The required amount of each sample was only ∼200 μL. Moreover, the excellent differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) response toward dopamine, hydroquinone and catechol was obtained and the detection limits was determined to be 0.337, 0.289 and 0.369 μM, respectively. Comparing it with the traditional screen-printed electrode (SPE), this sensing device possesses the advantages of high-throughput, fast electron transfer rate for electrodes, short-time analysis and low sample consumption.

  13. Hydroxyapatite screen-printed thick films: optical and electrical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, C.C.; Rocha, H.H.B.; Freire, F.N.A.; Santos, M.R.P.; Saboia, K.D.A.; Goes, J.C.; Sombra, A.S.B.

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, we did a study on the structural and electrical properties of bioceramic hydroxiapatite (HA) thick films. The films were prepared in two layers using the screen-printing technique on Al 2 O 3 substrates. Mechanical alloying has been used successfully to produce nanocrystalline powders of hydroxyapatite to be used in the films. We also look for the effect of the grain size of the HA in the final properties of the film. The samples were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), infrared and Raman scattering spectroscopy and electrical measurements. We did a study of the dielectric permittivity and the loss of the films in the radio-frequency of the spectra. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the films indicate that all the peaks associated to HA phase is present in the films. One can notice that, for all the films there is a decrease of the DC (dielectric constant) with the increase of the frequency. The values of the dielectric constant of the films are in between 4 and 9 (at 1 kHz), as a function of the flux concentration. The loss is decreasing as we increase the frequency for all the films. These results strongly suggest that the screen-printing HA thick films are good candidates for applications in biocompatible coatings of implant materials

  14. Hydroxyapatite screen-printed thick films: optical and electrical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, C.C. [Laboratorio de Telecomunicaco-tilde es e Ciencia e Engenharia de Materiais (LOCEM), Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Campus do Pici, Caixa Postal 6030, 60455-760 Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil); Rocha, H.H.B. [Laboratorio de Telecomunicaco-tilde es e Ciencia e Engenharia de Materiais (LOCEM), Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Campus do Pici, Caixa Postal 6030, 60455-760 Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil); Freire, F.N.A. [Departamento de Quimica Orga-circumflex nica e Inorga-circumflex nica-UFC, Caixa Postal 6030, CEP 60455-760, Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil); Santos, M.R.P. [Laboratorio de Telecomunicaco-tilde es e Ciencia e Engenharia de Materiais (LOCEM), Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Campus do Pici, Caixa Postal 6030, 60455-760 Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil); Saboia, K.D.A. [Laboratorio de Telecomunicaco-tilde es e Ciencia e Engenharia de Materiais (LOCEM), Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Campus do Pici, Caixa Postal 6030, 60455-760 Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil); Goes, J.C. [Laboratorio de Telecomunicaco-tilde es e Ciencia e Engenharia de Materiais (LOCEM), Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Campus do Pici, Caixa Postal 6030, 60455-760 Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil); Sombra, A.S.B. [Laboratorio de Telecomunicaco-tilde es e Ciencia e Engenharia de Materiais (LOCEM), Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Campus do Pici, Caixa Postal 6030, 60455-760 Fortaleza, Ceara (Brazil)]. E-mail: sombra@fisica.ufc.br

    2005-07-15

    In this paper, we did a study on the structural and electrical properties of bioceramic hydroxiapatite (HA) thick films. The films were prepared in two layers using the screen-printing technique on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates. Mechanical alloying has been used successfully to produce nanocrystalline powders of hydroxyapatite to be used in the films. We also look for the effect of the grain size of the HA in the final properties of the film. The samples were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), infrared and Raman scattering spectroscopy and electrical measurements. We did a study of the dielectric permittivity and the loss of the films in the radio-frequency of the spectra. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the films indicate that all the peaks associated to HA phase is present in the films. One can notice that, for all the films there is a decrease of the DC (dielectric constant) with the increase of the frequency. The values of the dielectric constant of the films are in between 4 and 9 (at 1 kHz), as a function of the flux concentration. The loss is decreasing as we increase the frequency for all the films. These results strongly suggest that the screen-printing HA thick films are good candidates for applications in biocompatible coatings of implant materials.

  15. Thermoelectric properties of P-type Sb2Te3 thick film processed by a screen-printing technique and a subsequent annealing process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sun Jin; We, Ju Hyung; Kim, Jin Sang; Kim, Gyung Soo; Cho, Byung Jin

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We report on thermoelectric properties of screen-printed Sb 2 Te 3 thick film. • Subsequent annealing process determines thermoelectric properties of Sb 2 Te 3 film. • Annealing in tellurium powder ambient contributes to tellurium-rich Sb 2 Te 3 film. • Annealing in tellurium powder ambient enhances carrier mobility of Sb 2 Te 3 film. -- Abstract: We herein report the thermoelectric properties of Sb 2 Te 3 thick film fabricated by a screen-printing technique and a subsequent annealing process. Each step of the screen-printing fabrication process of Sb 2 Te 3 thick film is described in detail. It was found that the subsequent annealing process must be carefully designed to achieve good thermoelectric properties of the screen-printed film. The results show that the annealing of the screen-printed Sb 2 Te 3 thick film together with tellurium powder in the same process chamber significantly improves the carrier mobility by increasing the average scattering time of the carrier in the film, resulting in a large improvement of the power factor. By optimizing the annealing process, we achieved a maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit, ZT, of 0.32 at room temperature, which is slightly higher than that of bulk Sb 2 Te 3 . Because screen-printing is a simple and low-cost process and given that it is easy to scale up to large sizes, this result will be useful for the realization of large, film-type thermoelectric devices

  16. Patterned direct-write and screen-printing of NIR-to-visible upconverting inks for security applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumenthal, Tyler; Meruga, Jeevan; Stanley May, P; Kellar, Jon; Cross, William; Ankireddy, Krishnamraju; Vunnam, Swathi; Luu, Quocanh N

    2012-05-11

    Two methods of direct-write printing for producing highly resolved features of a polymer impregnated with luminescent upconversion phosphors for security applications are presented. The printed polymer structures range in shape from features to text. The thin polymer features were deposited by direct-write printing of atomized material as well as by screen-printing techniques. These films contain highly luminescent lanthanide-doped, rare-earth nanocrystals, β-NaYF₄:3%Er, 17%Yb, which are capped with oleic acid. This capping agent allows the nanocrystals to disperse throughout the films for full detailing of printed features. Upconversion of deposited features was obtained using a 980 nm wavelength laser with emission of upconverted light in the visible region at both 540 and 660 nm. Features were deposited onto high bond paper, Kapton®, and glass to demonstrate possible covert and forensic security printing applications, as they are printed in various features and invisible to 'naked-eye' viewing at low concentrations of nanocrystals.

  17. Patterned direct-write and screen-printing of NIR-to-visible upconverting inks for security applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blumenthal, Tyler; Meruga, Jeevan; Kellar, Jon; Cross, William; Ankireddy, Krishnamraju; Vunnam, Swathi; Stanley May, P; Luu, QuocAnh N

    2012-01-01

    Two methods of direct-write printing for producing highly resolved features of a polymer impregnated with luminescent upconversion phosphors for security applications are presented. The printed polymer structures range in shape from features to text. The thin polymer features were deposited by direct-write printing of atomized material as well as by screen-printing techniques. These films contain highly luminescent lanthanide-doped, rare-earth nanocrystals, β-NaYF 4 :3%Er, 17%Yb, which are capped with oleic acid. This capping agent allows the nanocrystals to disperse throughout the films for full detailing of printed features. Upconversion of deposited features was obtained using a 980 nm wavelength laser with emission of upconverted light in the visible region at both 540 and 660 nm. Features were deposited onto high bond paper, Kapton ® , and glass to demonstrate possible covert and forensic security printing applications, as they are printed in various features and invisible to ‘naked-eye’ viewing at low concentrations of nanocrystals. (paper)

  18. Patterned direct-write and screen-printing of NIR-to-visible upconverting inks for security applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumenthal, Tyler; Meruga, Jeevan; May, P. Stanley; Kellar, Jon; Cross, William; Ankireddy, Krishnamraju; Vunnam, Swathi; Luu, QuocAnh N.

    2012-05-01

    Two methods of direct-write printing for producing highly resolved features of a polymer impregnated with luminescent upconversion phosphors for security applications are presented. The printed polymer structures range in shape from features to text. The thin polymer features were deposited by direct-write printing of atomized material as well as by screen-printing techniques. These films contain highly luminescent lanthanide-doped, rare-earth nanocrystals, β-NaYF4:3%Er, 17%Yb, which are capped with oleic acid. This capping agent allows the nanocrystals to disperse throughout the films for full detailing of printed features. Upconversion of deposited features was obtained using a 980 nm wavelength laser with emission of upconverted light in the visible region at both 540 and 660 nm. Features were deposited onto high bond paper, Kapton®, and glass to demonstrate possible covert and forensic security printing applications, as they are printed in various features and invisible to ‘naked-eye’ viewing at low concentrations of nanocrystals.

  19. Amperometric screen-printed algal biosensor with flow injection analysis system for detection of environmental toxic compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shitanda, Isao [Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510 (Japan)], E-mail: shitanda@rs.noda.tus.ac.jp; Takamatsu, Satoshi; Watanabe, Kunihiro; Itagaki, Masayuki [Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510 (Japan)

    2009-08-30

    A screen-printed algal biosensor was fabricated for evaluation of toxicity of chemicals. An algal ink was prepared by mixing unicellular microalga Chlorella vulgaris cells, carbon nanotubes and sodium alginate solution. The algal ink was immobilized directly on a screen-printed carbon electrode surface using screen-printing technique. Photosynthetically generated oxygen of the immobilized algae was monitored amperometically. Responses of the algal biosensor to four toxic compounds, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (atrazine) and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-diethylurea (DCMU) were evaluated as inhibition ratios of the reduction current. The concentrations that gave 50% inhibition of the oxygen reduction current (IC{sup '}{sub 50}) for atrazine and DCMU were 12 and 1 {mu}mol dm{sup -3}, respectively. In comparison with the conventional algal biosensors, in which the algal cells were entrapped in an alginate gel and immobilized on the surface of a transparent indium tin oxide electrode, the present sensor is much smaller and less expensive, with the shorter assay time.

  20. Amperometric screen-printed algal biosensor with flow injection analysis system for detection of environmental toxic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shitanda, Isao; Takamatsu, Satoshi; Watanabe, Kunihiro; Itagaki, Masayuki

    2009-01-01

    A screen-printed algal biosensor was fabricated for evaluation of toxicity of chemicals. An algal ink was prepared by mixing unicellular microalga Chlorella vulgaris cells, carbon nanotubes and sodium alginate solution. The algal ink was immobilized directly on a screen-printed carbon electrode surface using screen-printing technique. Photosynthetically generated oxygen of the immobilized algae was monitored amperometically. Responses of the algal biosensor to four toxic compounds, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (atrazine) and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-diethylurea (DCMU) were evaluated as inhibition ratios of the reduction current. The concentrations that gave 50% inhibition of the oxygen reduction current (IC ' 50 ) for atrazine and DCMU were 12 and 1 μmol dm -3 , respectively. In comparison with the conventional algal biosensors, in which the algal cells were entrapped in an alginate gel and immobilized on the surface of a transparent indium tin oxide electrode, the present sensor is much smaller and less expensive, with the shorter assay time.

  1. Polymer solar cell modules prepared using roll-to-roll methods: Knife-over-edge coating, slot-die coating and screen printing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krebs, Frederik C

    2009-01-01

    was patterned into stripes and juxtaposed with the ITO layer. The fourth layer comprised screen-printed or slot-die-coated PEDOT:PSS and the fifth and the final layer comprised a screen-printed or slot-die-coated silver electrode. The final module dimensions were 28 cm×32 cm and presented four individual solar...

  2. Characterization of polymer silver pastes for screen printed flexible RFID antennas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janeczek, Kamil; Jakubowska, Małgorzata; Futera, Konrad; MłoŻniak, Anna; Kozioł, GraŻyna; Araźna, Aneta

    Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems have become more and more popular in the last few years because of their wide application fields, such as supply chain management and logistics. To continue their development further investigations of new conductive materials for fabrication of RFID transponders' antennas are necessary to be carried out. These materials should provide high flexibility and good radiation performance of printed antennas. In this paper, two polymer silver pastes based on silver flakes were characterized with regard to manufacturing of flexible RFID antennas with screen printing technique. Foil and paper were used as a substrate materials. Surface profile of the printed antennas was measured using an optical profilometer and their resistance was measured with a four-point-probe method. Antenna flexibility was evaluated in cyclic bending tests and its performance with reflection coefficient measurements with the use of differential probe connected to a vector network analyzer. In addition, a maximum read distance of a fabricated RFID transponder was measured.

  3. AFFINITY BIOSENSOR BASED ON SCREEN-PRINTED ELECTRODE MODIFIED WITH DNA FOR GENOTOXIC COMPOUNDS DETECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bambang Kuswandi

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available An electrochemical method for the detection of the genotoxic compounds using a DNA-modified electrode was developed. This electrode was successfully used for the electrochemical detection of genotoxic compounds in water samples. The electrochemical results clearly demonstrated that, the development is related to the molecular interaction between the surface-linked DNA obtained from calf thymus and the target compounds, such as pollutants, in order to develop a simple device for rapid screening of genotoxic compounds in environmental samples. The detection of such compounds was measured by their effect on the oxidation signal of the guanine peak of the DNA immobilised on the surface of carbon based Screen-Printed Electrode (SPE in disposable mode, and monitored by square-wave voltametric analysis. The DNA biosensor is able to detect known intercalating and groove-binding genotoxic compounds such as Dioxin, Bisphenol A, PCBs, and Phtalates. Application to real water samples is discussed and reported.   Keywords: electrochemical, screen-printed electrode, DNA biosensor, genotoxic compounds

  4. The influence of the accelerated ageing on the black screen element of the Electroink prints

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Majnaric, I; Bolanca, Z; Mirkovic, I Bolanca, E-mail: majnaric@grf.h, E-mail: zbolanca@grf.h, E-mail: ibolanca@grf.h [University of Zagreb Faculty of Graphic Arts, Getaldiceva 2, 10 000 Zagreb (Croatia)

    2010-06-01

    Printing material and prints undergo changes during ageing which can be recognized in deterioration in the physical, chemical and optical properties. The aim of this work is to determine the optical changes of the prints caused by ageing of the printing material and of the prints obtained by the application of the indirect electrophotography. The change of the screen elements in lighter halftone areas, which was obtained by the usage of the microscopic image analysis, has been discussed in the article. For the preparation of samples the following papers were used: fine art paper, recycled paper and offset paper as well as black Electroink. Three sample series were observed: prints on nonaged paper and ElectroInk, prints on aged paper and ElectroInk and prints on aged paper and nonaged ElectroInk. The investigation results show that by ageing of the uncoated printing substrates the decrease of the dots on prints can be expected, while the printing on the aged paper results in the increased reproduction of the halftone dots. The obtained results are the contribution to the explanation of the influence of the accelerated ageing process of papers which are used for printing and the aged prints on the halftone dot changes. Except the mentioned determined scientific contribution the results are applicable in the area of the printing product quality as well as in the forensic science.

  5. The influence of the accelerated ageing on the black screen element of the Electroink prints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majnaric, I; Bolanca, Z; Mirkovic, I Bolanca

    2010-01-01

    Printing material and prints undergo changes during ageing which can be recognized in deterioration in the physical, chemical and optical properties. The aim of this work is to determine the optical changes of the prints caused by ageing of the printing material and of the prints obtained by the application of the indirect electrophotography. The change of the screen elements in lighter halftone areas, which was obtained by the usage of the microscopic image analysis, has been discussed in the article. For the preparation of samples the following papers were used: fine art paper, recycled paper and offset paper as well as black Electroink. Three sample series were observed: prints on nonaged paper and ElectroInk, prints on aged paper and ElectroInk and prints on aged paper and nonaged ElectroInk. The investigation results show that by ageing of the uncoated printing substrates the decrease of the dots on prints can be expected, while the printing on the aged paper results in the increased reproduction of the halftone dots. The obtained results are the contribution to the explanation of the influence of the accelerated ageing process of papers which are used for printing and the aged prints on the halftone dot changes. Except the mentioned determined scientific contribution the results are applicable in the area of the printing product quality as well as in the forensic science.

  6. Packaging strategy for maximizing the performance of a screen printed piezoelectric energy harvester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Z; Zhu, D; Tudor, M J; Beeby, S P

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports the extended design and simulation of a screen printed piezoelectric energy harvester. The proposed design was based on a previous credit card sized smart tag sensor node, and packages the power conditioning circuit in the free space above the tungsten proof mass layer. This approach enables electronic components to be mounted onto the cantilever beam, which provides additional weight at the tip of the cantilever structure. The design structure contains a T-shape cantilever beam with size of 47 mm × 30 mm × 0.85 mm which is fabricated using screen printing. ANSYS simulation results predict the revised architecture can generate 421.9 μW approximately twice of the RMS power produced by the original design along with a higher open-circuit RMS Voltage of 8.0 V while the resonant frequency is dropped to 53.4 Hz

  7. High-concentration copper nanoparticles synthesis process for screen-printing conductive paste on flexible substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tam, Sze Kee; Ng, Ka Ming

    2015-01-01

    This study presents a method for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles, which are poised to replace silver nanoparticles in some application areas of printed electronics. This method offers three advantages. Firstly, copper loading in the synthesis reaction can be as high as 1 M, offering high productivity in large-scale production. Secondly, the size of the copper nanoparticles can be controlled from 12 to 99 nm. Thirdly, the surface polarity of the particles can be modified. Thus, a tailor-made product can be synthesized. The synthesis of copper nanoparticles coated with various capping agents, including dodecanethiol, lauric acid, nonanoic acid, polyacrylic acid, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, was demonstrated. The nonanoic acid-coated copper nanoparticles were formulated as a screen-printing conductive paste. The particles were readily dispersed in terpineol, and the paste could be screen printed onto flexible polyester. The electrical resistivity of patterns after a low-temperature (120 °C) sintering treatment was around 5.8 × 10 −5  Ω cm.Graphical Abstract

  8. High-concentration copper nanoparticles synthesis process for screen-printing conductive paste on flexible substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tam, Sze Kee; Ng, Ka Ming, E-mail: kekmng@ust.hk [The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Hong Kong)

    2015-12-15

    This study presents a method for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles, which are poised to replace silver nanoparticles in some application areas of printed electronics. This method offers three advantages. Firstly, copper loading in the synthesis reaction can be as high as 1 M, offering high productivity in large-scale production. Secondly, the size of the copper nanoparticles can be controlled from 12 to 99 nm. Thirdly, the surface polarity of the particles can be modified. Thus, a tailor-made product can be synthesized. The synthesis of copper nanoparticles coated with various capping agents, including dodecanethiol, lauric acid, nonanoic acid, polyacrylic acid, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, was demonstrated. The nonanoic acid-coated copper nanoparticles were formulated as a screen-printing conductive paste. The particles were readily dispersed in terpineol, and the paste could be screen printed onto flexible polyester. The electrical resistivity of patterns after a low-temperature (120 °C) sintering treatment was around 5.8 × 10{sup −5} Ω cm.Graphical Abstract.

  9. An instrument-free, screen-printed paper microfluidic device that enables bio and chemical sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Saeed; Maeki, Masatoshi; Mohamadi, Reza M; Ishida, Akihiko; Tani, Hirofumi; Tokeshi, Manabu

    2015-10-07

    This paper describes a simple and instrument-free screen-printing method to fabricate hydrophilic channels by patterning polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) onto chromatography paper. Clearly recognizable border lines were formed between hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas. The minimum width of the printed channel to deliver an aqueous sample was 600 μm, as obtained by this method. Fabricated microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) were tested for several colorimetric assays of pH, glucose, and protein in both buffer and artificial urine samples and results were obtained in less than 30 min. The limits of detection (LODs) for glucose and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were 5 mM and 8 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the pH values of different solutions were visually recognised with the naked eye by using a sensitive ink. Ultimately, it is expected that this PDMS-screen-printing (PSP) methodology for μPADs can be readily translated to other colorimetric detection and hydrophilic channels surrounded by a hydrophobic polymer can be formed to transport fluids toward target zones.

  10. Influence of Parameters of Screen Printing on Photoluminescence Properties of Nanophotonic Labels for Smart Packaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olha Hrytsenko

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Smart packaging is becoming more popular on world market as a new type of packaging able to react to changes in a packaged product during storage and informs a customer about the safety of consumption of packaged food. This article investigates the main technological issues of the use of nanophotonic printing inks based on ZnO/SiO2 nanoparticles and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP for printing active elements of smart packaging on paper substrates, concerning material properties and parameters of screen printing. It is determined that the use of ink compositions with medium content of ZnO/SiO2 nanoparticles allows obtaining blue-green and blue shades of luminescence color of screen printed images by changing ink layer thickness on papers with different contents of optical brightness agents (OBAs. The minimum content of ZnO/SiO2 nanoparticles in the developed fluorescent inks leads to blue luminescence colors regardless the contents of OBAs of the papers and ink layer thickness. The luminescence intensity is directly proportional to ink layer thickness and partly depends on the content of OBAs in the selected paper. In order to fabricate nanophotonic elements of smart packaging with predetermined photoluminescence properties, the influence of investigated factors on photoluminescence properties of printed nanophotonic labels should be taken into account.

  11. Screen-printed calcium-birnessite electrodes for water oxidation at neutral pH and an "electrochemical harriman series".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung Y; González-Flores, Diego; Ohms, Jonas; Trost, Tim; Dau, Holger; Zaharieva, Ivelina; Kurz, Philipp

    2014-12-01

    A mild screen-printing method was developed to coat conductive oxide surfaces (here: fluorine-doped tin oxide) with micrometer-thick layers of presynthesized calcium manganese oxide (Ca-birnessite) particles. After optimization steps concerning the printing process and layer thickness, electrodes were obtained that could be used as corrosion-stable water-oxidizing anodes at pH 7 to yield current densities of 1 mA cm(-2) at an overpotential of less than 500 mV. Analyses of the electrode coatings of optimal thickness (≈10 μm) indicated that composition, oxide phase, and morphology of the synthetic Ca-birnessite particles were hardly affected by the screen-printing procedure. However, a more detailed analysis by X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed small modifications of both the Mn redox state and the structure at the atomic level, which could affect functional properties such as proton conductivity. Furthermore, the versatile new screen-printing method was used for a comparative study of various transition-metal oxides concerning electrochemical water oxidation under "artificial leaf conditions" (neutral pH, fairly low overpotential and current density), for which a general activity ranking of RuO2 >Co3 O4 ≈(Ca)MnOx ≈NiO was observed. Within the group of screened manganese oxides, Ca-birnessite performed better than "Mn-only materials" such as Mn2 O3 and MnO2 . © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Cathode material for lithium ion accumulators prepared by screen printing for Smart Textile applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syrový, T.; Kazda, T.; Syrová, L.; Vondrák, J.; Kubáč, L.; Sedlaříková, M.

    2016-03-01

    The presented study is focused on the development of LiFePO4 based cathode for thin and flexible screen printed secondary lithium based accumulators. An ink formulation was developed for the screen printing technique, which enabled mass production of accumulator's cathode for Smart Label and Smart Textile applications. The screen printed cathode was compared with an electrode prepared by the bar coating technique using an ink formulation based on the standard approach of ink composition. Obtained LiFePO4 cathode layers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements at different loads. The discharge capacity, capacity retention and stability at a high C rate of the LiFePO4 cathode were improved when Super P and PVDF were replaced by conductive polymers PEDOT:PSS. The achieved capacity during cycling at various C rates was approximately the same at the beginning and at the end, and it was about 151 mAh/g for cycling under 1C. The obtained results of this novelty electrode layer exceed the parameters of several electrode layers based on LiFePO4 published in literature in terms of capacity, cycling stability and overcomes them in terms of simplicity/industrial process ability of cathode layer fabrication and electrode material preparation.

  13. Production of large-area polymer solar cells by industrial silk screen printing, lifetime considerations and lamination with polyethyleneterephthalate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krebs, Frederik C; Alstrup, J.; Spanggaard, H.

    2004-01-01

    The possibility of making large area (100 cm(2)) polymer solar cells based on the conjugated polymer poly 1,4-(2-methoxy-5-ethylhexyloxy)phenylenevinylene (MEH-PPV) was demonstrated. Devices were prepared by etching an electrode pattern on ITO covered polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) substrates....... A pattern of conducting silver epoxy allowing for electrical contacts to the device was silk screen printed and hardened. Subsequently a pattern of MEH-PPV was silk screen printed in registry with the ITO electrode pattern on top of the substrate. Final evaporation of an aluminum electrode or sublimation......). The half-life based on I-sc in air for the devices were 63 h. The cells were laminated in a 125 mum PET encasement. Lamination had a negative effect on the lifetime. We demonstrate the feasibility of industrial production of large area solar cells (1 m(2)) by silk screen printing and envisage...

  14. Horseradish peroxidase-screen printed biosensors for determination of Ochratoxin A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso-Lomillo, M Asunción; Domínguez-Renedo, Olga; Román, Lorena Del Torno-de; Arcos-Martínez, M Julia

    2011-02-28

    This work summarizes the manufacturing procedure of Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) based biosensors for the determination of the mycotoxin Ochratoxin A (OTA). The biosensors have been fabricated using the single technology of screen-printing. That is to say, an HRP containing ink has been directly screen-printed onto carbon electrodes, which offers a higher rapidity and simplicity in the manufacturing process of biosensors for OTA determination. The formal redox potential of the Fe(III/II) moiety of HRP has been used to demonstrate the effective loading of enzyme into the ink. The chronoamperometric oxidation current registered has been successfully related to the concentration of OTA in solution from different samples, including beer ones. Under the optimum conditions of the experimental variables, precision in terms of reproducibility and repeatability has been calculated in the concentration range from 23.85 to 203.28 nM. A relative standard deviation for the slopes of 10% (n = 4) was obtained for reproducibility. In the case of repeatability, the biosensor retained a 30% of the initial sensitivity after the third calibration. The average capability of detection for 0.05% probabilities of false positive and negative was 26.77 ± 3.61 nM (α = 0.05 and β=0.05, n = 3). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes: Application to on-site monitoring of liquid fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida, Eduardo S.; Silva, Luiz A.J.; Sousa, Raquel M.F.; Richter, Eduardo M. [Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. João Naves de Ávila, 2121, Uberlândia, MG, 38408100 (Brazil); Foster, Christopher W.; Banks, Craig E. [Manchester Metropolitan University, Faculty of Science and the Environment, School of Science and the Environment, Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Manchester, M1 5GD, England (United Kingdom); Munoz, Rodrigo A.A., E-mail: raamunoz@iqufu.ufu.br [Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. João Naves de Ávila, 2121, Uberlândia, MG, 38408100 (Brazil)

    2016-08-31

    This work presents the potential application of organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGEs) for fuel analysis. The required analysis of the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (2,6-DTBP) in biodiesel and jet fuel is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept. The screen-printing of graphite, Ag/AgCl and insulator inks on a polyester substrate (250 μm thickness) resulted in SPGEs highly compatible with liquid fuels. SPGEs were placed on a batch-injection analysis (BIA) cell, which was filled with a hydroethanolic solution containing 99% v/v ethanol and 0.1 mol L{sup −1} HClO{sub 4} (electrolyte). An electronic micropipette was connected to the cell to perform injections (100 μL) of sample or standard solutions. Over 200 injections can be injected continuously without replacing electrolyte and SPGE strip. Amperometric detection (+1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl) of 2,6-DTBP provided fast (around 8 s) and precise (RSD = 0.7%, n = 12) determinations using an external calibration curve. The method was applied for the analysis of biodiesel and aviation jet fuel samples and comparable results with liquid and gas chromatographic analyses, typically required for biodiesel and jet fuel samples, were obtained. Hence, these SPGE strips are completely compatible with organic samples and their combination with the BIA cell shows great promise for routine and portable analysis of fuels and other organic liquid samples without requiring sophisticated sample treatments. - Highlights: • Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGE) for (bio)fuels. • Screen-printing of conductive and insulator inks on thin polyester substrate. • Continuous detection of antioxidants in electrolyte with 99% v/v ethanol. • SPGE coupled with batch-injection analysis allows over 200 injections (100 μL). • Similar results to GC and HPLC analyses of biodiesel and aviation jet fuels.

  16. Impact electrochemistry on screen-printed electrodes for the detection of monodispersed silver nanoparticles of sizes 10-107 nm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasir, Muhammad Zafir Mohamad; Pumera, Martin

    2016-10-12

    Impact electrochemistry provides a useful alternative technique for the detection of silver nanoparticles in solutions. The combined use of impact electrochemistry on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) for the successful detection of silver nanoparticles provides an avenue for future on-site, point-of-care detection devices to be made for environmental, medicinal and biological uses. Here we discuss the use of screen-printed electrodes for the detection of well-defined monodispersed silver nanoparticles of sizes 10, 20, 40, 80, and 107 nm.

  17. Micro-motor with screen-printed rotor magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Speliotis, Thanassis; Niarchos, Dimitris; Meneroud, Patrick; Magnac, G.; Claeyssen, Franck; Pepin, John; Fermon, Claude; Pannetier, M.; Biziere, N.

    2007-01-01

    The feasibility to develop mini- and micro-magnetic electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) has been evaluated by prototyping of a single-phase stepper motor. The main targeted application of such device is the watch industry needing micro-motors in huge quantities at low cost. The motor part that required the greatest efforts has been the magnet, which cannot yet be found in film layer. The screen-printing technology has been used for the production of NdFeB-based magnets whose properties have been characterised. The thick film magnets have been integrated in the stepper motor specially designed for this purpose. The whole motor has been characterised and conclusions are drawn on the possibility of producing thick film magnets for magnetic MEMS

  18. A quartz-based micro catalytic methane sensor by high resolution screen printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Wenshuai; Jing, Gaoshan; Bian, Xiaomeng; Yu, Hongyan; Cui, Tianhong

    2016-02-01

    A micro catalytic methane sensor was proposed and fabricated on a bulk fused quartz substrate using a high resolution screen printing technique for the first time, with reduced power consumption and optimized sensitivity. The sensor was designed by the finite element method and quartz was chosen as the substrate material and alumina support with optimized dimensions. Fabrication of the sensor consisted of two MEMS processes, lift-off and high resolution screen printing, with the advantages of high yield and uniformity. When the sensor’s regional working temperature changes from 250 °C to 470 °C, its sensitivity increases, as well as the power consumption. The highest sensitivity can reach 1.52 mV/% CH4. A temperature of 300 °C was chosen as the optimized working temperature, and the sensor’s sensitivity, power consumption, nonlinearity and response time are 0.77 mV/% CH4, 415 mW, 2.6%, and 35 s, respectively. This simple, but highly uniform fabrication process and the reliable performance of this sensor may lead to wide applications for methane detection.

  19. A quartz-based micro catalytic methane sensor by high resolution screen printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Wenshuai; Jing, Gaoshan; Bian, Xiaomeng; Yu, Hongyan; Cui, Tianhong

    2016-01-01

    A micro catalytic methane sensor was proposed and fabricated on a bulk fused quartz substrate using a high resolution screen printing technique for the first time, with reduced power consumption and optimized sensitivity. The sensor was designed by the finite element method and quartz was chosen as the substrate material and alumina support with optimized dimensions. Fabrication of the sensor consisted of two MEMS processes, lift-off and high resolution screen printing, with the advantages of high yield and uniformity. When the sensor’s regional working temperature changes from 250 °C to 470 °C, its sensitivity increases, as well as the power consumption. The highest sensitivity can reach 1.52 mV/% CH 4 . A temperature of 300 °C was chosen as the optimized working temperature, and the sensor’s sensitivity, power consumption, nonlinearity and response time are 0.77 mV/% CH 4 , 415 mW, 2.6%, and 35 s, respectively. This simple, but highly uniform fabrication process and the reliable performance of this sensor may lead to wide applications for methane detection. (paper)

  20. Screen printing of a capacitive cantilever-based motion sensor on fabric using a novel sacrificial layer process for smart fabric applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yang; Torah, Russel; Yang, Kai; Beeby, Steve; Tudor, John

    2013-07-01

    Free-standing cantilevers have been fabricated by screen printing sacrificial and structural layers onto a standard polyester cotton fabric. By printing additional conductive layers, a complete capacitive motion sensor on fabric using only screen printing has been fabricated. This type of free-standing structure cannot currently be fabricated using conventional fabric manufacturing processes. In addition, compared to conventional smart fabric fabrication processes (e.g. weaving and knitting), screen printing offers the advantages of geometric design flexibility and the ability to simultaneously print multiple devices of the same or different designs. Furthermore, a range of active inks exists from the printed electronics industry which can potentially be applied to create many types of smart fabric. Four cantilevers with different lengths have been printed on fabric using a five-layer structure with a sacrificial material underneath the cantilever. The sacrificial layer is subsequently removed at 160 °C for 30 min to achieve a freestanding cantilever above the fabric. Two silver electrodes, one on top of the cantilever and the other on top of the fabric, are used to capacitively detect the movement of the cantilever. In this way, an entirely printed motion sensor is produced on a standard fabric. The motion sensor was initially tested on an electromechanical shaker rig at a low frequency range to examine the linearity and the sensitivity of each design. Then, these sensors were individually attached to a moving human forearm to evaluate more representative results. A commercial accelerometer (Microstrain G-link) was mounted alongside for comparison. The printed sensors have a similar motion response to the commercial accelerometer, demonstrating the potential of a printed smart fabric motion sensor for use in intelligent clothing applications.

  1. Fabrication and properties of meso-macroporous electrodes screen-printed from mesoporous titania nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Liang; Liu Min; Peng Tianyou; Fan Ke; Lu Lanlan; Dai Ke

    2009-01-01

    A meso-macroporous TiO 2 film electrode was fabricated by using mesoporous TiO 2 (m-TiO 2 ) nanoparticles through a screen-printing technique in order to efficiently control the main fabrication step of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The qualities of the screen-printed m-TiO 2 films were characterized by means of spectroscopy, electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption and photoelectrochemical measurements. Under the optimal paste composition and printing conditions, the DSSC based on the meso-macroporous m-TiO 2 film electrode exhibits an energy conversion efficiency of 4.14%, which is improved by 1.70% in comparison with DSSC made with commercially available nonporous TiO 2 nanoparticles (P25, Degussa) electrode printed with a similar paste composition. The meso-macroporous structure within the m-TiO 2 film is of great benefit to the dye adsorption, light absorption and the electrolyte transportation, and then to the improvement of the overall energy conversion efficiency of DSSC.

  2. Thin-layer voltammetry of soluble species on screen-printed electrodes: proof of concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botasini, S; Martí, A C; Méndez, E

    2016-10-17

    Thin-layer diffusion conditions were accomplished on screen-printed electrodes by placing a controlled-weight onto the cast solution and allowing for its natural spreading. The restricted diffusive conditions were assessed by cyclic voltammetry at low voltage scan rates and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The relationship between the weight exerted over the drop and the thin-layer thickness achieved was determined, in such a way that the simple experimental set-up designed for this work could be developed into a commercial device with variable control of the thin-layer conditions. The experimental results obtained resemble those reported for the voltammetric features of electroactive soluble species employing electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes or graphene layers, suggesting that the attainment of the benefits reported for these nanomaterials could be done simply by forcing the solution to spread over the screen-printed electrodic system to form a thin layer solution. The advantages of thin-layer voltammetry in the kinetic characterization of quasi-reversible and irreversible processes are highlighted.

  3. Screen printing as a scalable and low-cost approach for rigid and flexible thin-film transistors using separated carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xuan; Chen, Haitian; Gu, Xiaofei; Liu, Bilu; Wang, Wenli; Cao, Yu; Wu, Fanqi; Zhou, Chongwu

    2014-12-23

    Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes are very promising materials in printed electronics due to their excellent mechanical and electrical property, outstanding printability, and great potential for flexible electronics. Nonetheless, developing scalable and low-cost approaches for manufacturing fully printed high-performance single-wall carbon nanotube thin-film transistors remains a major challenge. Here we report that screen printing, which is a simple, scalable, and cost-effective technique, can be used to produce both rigid and flexible thin-film transistors using separated single-wall carbon nanotubes. Our fully printed top-gated nanotube thin-film transistors on rigid and flexible substrates exhibit decent performance, with mobility up to 7.67 cm2 V(-1) s(-1), on/off ratio of 10(4)∼10(5), minimal hysteresis, and low operation voltage (transistors (bent with radius of curvature down to 3 mm) and driving capability for organic light-emitting diode have been demonstrated. Given the high performance of the fully screen-printed single-wall carbon nanotube thin-film transistors, we believe screen printing stands as a low-cost, scalable, and reliable approach to manufacture high-performance nanotube thin-film transistors for application in display electronics. Moreover, this technique may be used to fabricate thin-film transistors based on other materials for large-area flexible macroelectronics, and low-cost display electronics.

  4. Thermal characterization of screen printed conductive pastes for RFID antennas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Janeczek, Kamil, E-mail: kamil.janeczek@itr.org.pl [Tele and Radio Research Institute, 11 Ratuszowa Street, 03-450 Warsaw (Poland); Jakubowska, Malgorzata [Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, 133 Wolczynska Street, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland); Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Metrology and Biomedical Engineering, 8 Sankt Andrzej Bobola Street, 02-525 Warsaw (Poland); Mlozniak, Anna [Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, 133 Wolczynska Street, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland); Koziol, Grazyna [Tele and Radio Research Institute, 11 Ratuszowa Street, 03-450 Warsaw (Poland)

    2012-09-01

    Thermal resistance is an essential aspect of electronic circuits designing. It leads to unexpected changes in electronic components during their work. In this study, new materials for screen printed RFID tag's antennas were characterized in terms of their resistance to thermal exposure. Polymer materials containing silver flakes, silver nanopowder, carbon nanotubes or conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS were elaborated and used for antenna printing on flexible materials. In order to verify their long term susceptibility to damages caused by the changing environmental conditions, the temperature cycling test was used in three different temperature ranges: +65 Degree-Sign C, -12 Degree-Sign C, -40 Degree-Sign C/+85 Degree-Sign C (3 h in each temp., dwell time 1 h). The highest durability to thermal exposure exhibited the paste with carbon nanotubes dispersed in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA and the lowest one - the paste with conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS.

  5. Thermal characterization of screen printed conductive pastes for RFID antennas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janeczek, Kamil; Jakubowska, Małgorzata; Młożniak, Anna; Kozioł, Grażyna

    2012-01-01

    Thermal resistance is an essential aspect of electronic circuits designing. It leads to unexpected changes in electronic components during their work. In this study, new materials for screen printed RFID tag's antennas were characterized in terms of their resistance to thermal exposure. Polymer materials containing silver flakes, silver nanopowder, carbon nanotubes or conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS were elaborated and used for antenna printing on flexible materials. In order to verify their long term susceptibility to damages caused by the changing environmental conditions, the temperature cycling test was used in three different temperature ranges: +65 °C, −12 °C, −40 °C/+85 °C (3 h in each temp., dwell time 1 h). The highest durability to thermal exposure exhibited the paste with carbon nanotubes dispersed in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA and the lowest one – the paste with conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS.

  6. CdTe polycrystalline films on Ni foil substrates by screen printing and their photoelectric performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Huizhen; Ma, Jinwen; Mu, Yannan; Su, Shi; Lv, Pin; Zhang, Xiaoling; Zhou, Liying; Li, Xue; Liu, Li; Fu, Wuyou; Yang, Haibin

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The sintered CdTe polycrystalline films by a simple screen printing. • The flexible Ni foil was chose as substrates to reduce the weight of the electrode. • The compact CdTe film was obtained at 550 °C sintering temperature. • The photoelectric activity of the CdTe polycrystalline films was excellent. - Abstract: CdTe polycrystalline films were prepared on flexible Ni foil substrates by sequential screen printing and sintering in a nitrogen atmosphere for the first time. The effect of temperature on the quality of the screen-printed film was investigated in our work. The high-quality CdTe films were obtained after sintering at 550 °C for 2 h. The properties of the sintered CdTe films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern and UV–visible spectroscopy. The high-quality CdTe films have the photocurrent was 2.04 mA/cm 2 , which is higher than that of samples prepared at other temperatures. Furthermore, CdCl 2 treatment reduced the band gap of the CdTe film due to the larger grain size. The photocurrent of photoelectrode based on high crystalline CdTe polycrystalline films after CdCl 2 treatment improved to 2.97 mA/cm 2 , indicating a potential application in photovoltaic devices

  7. Glucose biosensor based on disposable electrochemical paper-based transducers fully fabricated by screen-printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamas-Ardisana, P J; Martínez-Paredes, G; Añorga, L; Grande, H J

    2018-06-30

    This paper describes a new approach for the massive production of electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs). These devices are fully fabricated by screen-printing technology and consist of a lineal microfluidic channel delimited by hydrophobic walls (patterned with diluted ultraviolet screen-printing ink in chromatographic paper grade 4) and a three-electrode system (printed with carbon and/or Ag/AgCl conductive inks). The printing process was characterised and optimized for pattern each layer with only one squeeze sweep. These ePADs were used as transducers to develop a glucose biosensor. Ionic strength/pH buffering salts, electrochemical mediator (ferricyanide) and enzyme (glucose dehydrogenase FAD-dependent) were separately stored along the microfluidic channel in order to be successively dissolved and mixed after the sample dropping at the entrance. The analyses required only 10 µl and the biosensors showed good reproducibility (RSD = 6.2%, n = 10) and sensitivity (0.426 C/M cm 2 ), wide linear range (0.5-50 mM; r 2 = 0.999) and low limit of detection (0.33 mM). Furthermore, the new biosensor was applied for glucose determination in five commercial soft-drinks without any sample treatment before the analysis. These samples were also analysed with a commercial enzymatic-kit assay. The results indicated that both methods provide accurate results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Screen printing of a capacitive cantilever-based motion sensor on fabric using a novel sacrificial layer process for smart fabric applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Yang; Torah, Russel; Yang, Kai; Beeby, Steve; Tudor, John

    2013-01-01

    Free-standing cantilevers have been fabricated by screen printing sacrificial and structural layers onto a standard polyester cotton fabric. By printing additional conductive layers, a complete capacitive motion sensor on fabric using only screen printing has been fabricated. This type of free-standing structure cannot currently be fabricated using conventional fabric manufacturing processes. In addition, compared to conventional smart fabric fabrication processes (e.g. weaving and knitting), screen printing offers the advantages of geometric design flexibility and the ability to simultaneously print multiple devices of the same or different designs. Furthermore, a range of active inks exists from the printed electronics industry which can potentially be applied to create many types of smart fabric. Four cantilevers with different lengths have been printed on fabric using a five-layer structure with a sacrificial material underneath the cantilever. The sacrificial layer is subsequently removed at 160 °C for 30 min to achieve a freestanding cantilever above the fabric. Two silver electrodes, one on top of the cantilever and the other on top of the fabric, are used to capacitively detect the movement of the cantilever. In this way, an entirely printed motion sensor is produced on a standard fabric. The motion sensor was initially tested on an electromechanical shaker rig at a low frequency range to examine the linearity and the sensitivity of each design. Then, these sensors were individually attached to a moving human forearm to evaluate more representative results. A commercial accelerometer (Microstrain G-link) was mounted alongside for comparison. The printed sensors have a similar motion response to the commercial accelerometer, demonstrating the potential of a printed smart fabric motion sensor for use in intelligent clothing applications. (paper)

  9. Silver-Nanoparticle-Based Screen-Printing and Film Characterization of a Disposable, Dual-Band, Bandstop Filter on a Flexible Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kishor Kumar Adhikari

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a silver-nanoparticle-based, screen-printed, high-performance, dual-band, bandstop filter (DBBSF on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET substrate. Using screen-printing techniques to process a highly viscous silver printing ink, high-conductivity printed lines were implemented at a web transfer speed of 5 m/min. Characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM, the printed lines were shown to be characterized by smooth surfaces with a root mean square roughness of 7.986 nm; a significantly higher thickness (12.2 μm than the skin depth; and a high conductivity of 2×107 S/m. These excellent printed line characteristics enabled the implementation of a high-selectivity DBBSF using shunt-connected uniform impedance resonators (UIRs. Additionally, the inductive loading effect of T-shaped stubs on the UIRs, which were analyzed using S-parameters based on lumped parameter calculations, was used to improve the return losses of the geometrically optimized DBBSF. The measured minimum return loss and maximum insertion loss of 28.26 and 1.58 dB, respectively, at the central frequencies of 2.56 and 5.29 GHz of a protocol screen-printed DBBSF demonstrated the excellent performance of the material and its significant potential for use in future cost-effective, flexible WiMax and WLAN applications.

  10. Photovoltaic and Impedance Spectroscopy Study of Screen-Printed TiO₂ Based CdS Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atif, M; Farooq, W A; Fatehmulla, Amanullah; Aslam, M; Ali, Syed Mansoor

    2015-01-19

    Cadmium sulphide (CdS) quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on screen-printed TiO₂ were assembled using a screen-printing technique. The CdS quantum dots (QDs) were grown by using the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method. The optical properties were studied by UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy. Photovoltaic characteristics and impedance spectroscopic measurements of CdS QDSSCs were carried out under air mass 1.5 illuminations. The experimental results of capacitance against voltage indicate a trend from positive to negative capacitance because of the injection of electrons from the Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode into TiO₂.

  11. Comparative study of different alcohol sensors based on Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa Rama, Estefanía; Biscay, Julien; González García, María Begoña; Julio Reviejo, A; Pingarrón Carrazón, José Manuel; Costa García, Agustín

    2012-05-30

    Different very simple single-use alcohol enzyme sensors were developed using alcohol oxidase (AOX) from three different yeast, Hansenula sp., Pichia pastoris and Candida boidinii, and employing three different commercial mediator-based Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes as transducers. The mediators tested, Prussian Blue, Ferrocyanide and Co-phthalocyanine were included into the ink of the working electrode. The procedure to obtain these sensors consists of the immobilization of the enzyme on the electrode surface by adsorption. For the immobilization, an AOX solution is deposited on the working electrode and left until dried (1h) at room temperature. The best results were obtained with the biosensor using Screen-Printed Co-phthalocyanine/Carbon Electrode and AOX from Hansenula sp. The reduced cobalt-phthalocyanine form is amperometrically detected at +0.4V (vs. Ag pseudo reference electrode). This sensor shows good sensitivity (1211 nA mM(-1)), high precision (2.1% RSD value for the slope value of the calibration plot) and wide linear response (0.05-1.00 mM) for ethanol determination. The sensor provides also accurate results for ethanol quantification in alcoholic drinks. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Screen printing as a holistic manufacturing method for multifunctional microsystems and microreactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bejarano, D; Lozano, P; Mata, D; Cito, S; Constantí, M; Katakis, I

    2009-01-01

    Microsystems are commonly manufactured by photolithographic or injection moulding techniques in a variety of realizations and on almost any material. A perennial problem in the manufacturing of microsystems is the difficulty to obtain hybrid devices that incorporate distinct materials with different functionalities. In most of the cases, cumbersome prototyping and high investment needed for manufacturing are additional problems that add to the cost of the final product. Such drawbacks are true not only for lab-on-a-chip but also for certain microreactor applications. Most importantly, in many commercial applications where an intermediate product between full fluidics control and a 'strip' is needed, such restraints prohibit the feasibility of reduction to practice. Screen printing on the other hand is a low cost technique that has been used for years in mass producing two-dimensional low cost reproductions of a mask pattern for circuits and art incorporates prototyping in production and allows the use of an almost limitless variety of materials as 'inks'. In this work it is demonstrated that taking advantage of the deposited ink's three-dimensional nature, screen printing can be used as a versatile and low cost technique for the fabrication of microchannels. Microchannels with dimensions in the order of 100 µm were fabricated that could readily incorporate functionalities through the choice of the materials used to create the microstructure. Variables have been investigated through a factorial experimental design as important process parameters that affect the resolution and print thickness of the resulting microchannels that incorporate electroactive elements. Such studies can lead to the optimization of the process for custom applications

  13. Sulfite oxidase biosensors based on tetrathiafulvalene modified screen-printed carbon electrodes for sulfite determination in wine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinero-Abad, Begoña; Alonso-Lomillo, M Asunción; Domínguez-Renedo, Olga; Arcos-Martínez, M Julia

    2014-02-17

    Screen-printed carbon electrodes have been modified with tetrathiafulvalene and sulfite oxidase enzyme for the sensitive and selective detection of sulfite. Amperometric experimental conditions were optimized taking into account the importance of quantifying sulfite in wine samples and the inherent complexity of these samples, particularly red wine. The biosensor responds to sulfite giving a cathodic current (at +200 mV vs screen-printed Ag/AgCl electrode and pH 6) in a wide concentration range, with a capability of detection of 6 μM (α=β=0.05) at 60°C. The method has been applied to the determination of sulfite in white and red samples, with averages recoveries of 101.5% to 101.8%, respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The best printing methods to print satellite images

    OpenAIRE

    G.A. Yousif; R.Sh. Mohamed

    2011-01-01

    Printing systems operate in general as a system of color its color scale is limited as compared with the system color satellite images. Satellite image is building from very small cell named pixel, which represents the picture element and the unity of color when the image is displayed on the screen, this unit becomes lesser in size and called screen point. This unit posseses different size and shape from the method of printing to another, depending on the output resolution, tools and material...

  15. Dual Approach to Amplify Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Signals Recorded Using Screen Printed Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka KRÓLICKA

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Screen printed electrodes plated with bismuth were used to record anodic stripping voltammograms of Pb(II, In(III and Cd(II. Using two bismuth precursors: Bi2O3 dispersed in the electrode body and Bi(III ions spiked into the tested solution it was possible to deposit bismuth layers, demonstrating exceptional ability to accumulate metals forming alloys with bismuth. The voltammetric signals were amplified by adjusting the electrode location with respect to rotating magnetic field. The electrode response was influenced by vertical and horizontal distance between the magnet center and the sensing area of screen printed electrode as well as the angle between the magnet surface and the electrode. When the electrode was moved away from the magnet center the recorded peaks were increasingly smaller and almost not affected by the presence of bismuth ions. It was shown that to obtain well-shaped signals a favourable morphology of bismuth deposits is of key importance. Hypotheses explaining processes responsible for the amplification of voltammetric signals were proposed.

  16. Disposable screen printed graphite electrode for the direct electrochemical determination of ibuprofen in surface water

    KAUST Repository

    Amin, Sidra; Soomro, M. Tahir; Memon, Najma; Solangi, Amber R.; Sirajuddin; Qureshi, Tahira; Behzad, Ali Reza

    2014-01-01

    The potential of square wave voltammetry (SWV) for the determination of ibuprofen in aqueous solution, applying baseline correction, is reported. A screen printed graphite electrodes (SPGEs), especially pretreated for this purpose, were used to investigate the electrochemical oxidation and detection of ibuprofen. After optimization of SWV parameters, measurements were carried out at 200 Hz modulation frequency, 4 mV step potential and 40 mV pulse amplitude for the determination of ibuprofen. The surfaces of both untreated and pretreated SPGEs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electro-catalytic properties of both the electrodes were correlated with the surface treatment. The pretreated screen printed graphite electrode exhibited a high sensitivity toward ibuprofen even in low concentration. The developed method was found rapid, cost-effective and reproducible for in-field ibuprofen detection.

  17. Disposable screen printed graphite electrode for the direct electrochemical determination of ibuprofen in surface water

    KAUST Repository

    Amin, Sidra

    2014-08-01

    The potential of square wave voltammetry (SWV) for the determination of ibuprofen in aqueous solution, applying baseline correction, is reported. A screen printed graphite electrodes (SPGEs), especially pretreated for this purpose, were used to investigate the electrochemical oxidation and detection of ibuprofen. After optimization of SWV parameters, measurements were carried out at 200 Hz modulation frequency, 4 mV step potential and 40 mV pulse amplitude for the determination of ibuprofen. The surfaces of both untreated and pretreated SPGEs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electro-catalytic properties of both the electrodes were correlated with the surface treatment. The pretreated screen printed graphite electrode exhibited a high sensitivity toward ibuprofen even in low concentration. The developed method was found rapid, cost-effective and reproducible for in-field ibuprofen detection.

  18. Developments and the preliminary tests of Resistive GEMs manufactured by a screen printing technology

    CERN Document Server

    Agócs, G; Oliveira, R; Martinego, P; Peskov, Vladimir; Pietropaolo, P; Picchi, P

    2008-01-01

    We report promising initial results obtained with new resistive-electrode GEM (RETGEM) detectors manufactured, for the first time, using screen printing technology. These new detectors allow one to reach gas gains nearly as high as with ordinary GEM-like detectors with metallic electrodes; however, due to the high resistivity of its electrodes the RETGEM, in contrast to ordinary hole-type detectors, has the advantage of being fully spark protected. We discovered that RETGEMs can operate stably and at high gains in noble gases and in other badly quenched gases, such as mixtures of noble gases with air and in pure air; therefore, a wide range of practical applications, including dosimetry and detection of dangerous gases, is foreseeable. To promote a better understanding of RETGEM technology some comparative studies were completed with metallic-electrode thick GEMs. A primary benefit of these new RETGEMs is that the screen printing technology is easily accessible to many research laboratories. This accessibilit...

  19. Discharge of viscous UV-curable resin droplets by screen printing for UV nanoimprint lithography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanabe, Akira; Uehara, Takuya; Nagase, Kazuro; Ikedo, Hiroaki; Hiroshiba, Nobuya; Nakamura, Takahiro; Nakagawa, Masaru

    2016-06-01

    We demonstrated a coating method of screen printing for discharging droplets of a high-viscosity resin on a substrate for ultraviolet (UV) nanoimprint lithography (NIL). Compared with a spin-coated resin film on a silicon substrate, discharged resin droplets on a silicon substrate were effective in terms of the uniformity of residual layer thickness (RLT) in contact with a mold with various pattern densities. Fluorescence microscope observations with a fluorescent-dye-containing UV-curable resin enabled the evaluation of the shapes of resin droplets discharged on a substrate surface. Widely used screen mesh plates composed of a stainless mesh covered with a patterned emulsion film caused defects of undischarged parts, whereas defects-free resin droplets with a narrow size distribution were discharged by mesh-free plates prepared with laser ablation. The pitch-to-diameter ratio in the configuration of 10-µm-diameter holes needs to be larger than 2.5 times for printing a resin having a viscosity of 12,800 mPa s.

  20. Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with "Green" Metals for Electrochemical Stripping Analysis of Toxic Elements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Economou, Anastasios

    2018-03-29

    This work reviews the field of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) modified with "green" metals for electrochemical stripping analysis of toxic elements. Electrochemical stripping analysis has been established as a useful trace analysis technique offering many advantages compared to competing optical techniques. Although mercury has been the preferred electrode material for stripping analysis, the toxicity of mercury and the associated legal requirements in its use and disposal have prompted research towards the development of "green" metals as alternative electrode materials. When combined with the screen-printing technology, such environment-friendly metals can lead to disposable sensors for trace metal analysis with excellent operational characteristics. This review focuses on SPEs modified with Au, Bi, Sb, and Sn for stripping analysis of toxic elements. Different modification approaches (electroplating, bulk modification, use of metal precursors, microengineering techniques) are considered and representative applications are described. A developing related field, namely biosensing based on stripping analysis of metallic nanoprobe labels, is also briefly mentioned.

  1. ScreenCube: A 3D Printed System for Rapid and Cost-Effective Chemical Screening in Adult Zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monstad-Rios, Adrian T; Watson, Claire J; Kwon, Ronald Y

    2018-02-01

    Phenotype-based small molecule screens in zebrafish embryos and larvae have been successful in accelerating pathway and therapeutic discovery for diverse biological processes. Yet, the application of chemical screens to adult physiologies has been relatively limited due to additional demands on cost, space, and labor associated with screens in adult animals. In this study, we present a 3D printed system and methods for intermittent drug dosing that enable rapid and cost-effective chemical administration in adult zebrafish. Using prefilled screening plates, the system enables dosing of 96 fish in ∼3 min, with a 10-fold reduction in drug quantity compared to that used in previous chemical screens in adult zebrafish. We characterize water quality kinetics during immersion in the system and use these kinetics to rationally design intermittent dosing regimens that result in 100% fish survival. As a demonstration of system fidelity, we show the potential to identify two known chemical inhibitors of adult tail fin regeneration, cyclopamine and dorsomorphin. By developing methods for rapid and cost-effective chemical administration in adult zebrafish, this study expands the potential for small molecule discovery in postembryonic models of development, disease, and regeneration.

  2. Detection of Abrin by Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor Based on Screen Printed Electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuai Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available For the convenience of fast measurement in the outdoor environment, a portable electrochemiluminescence biosensor with the screen-printed electrode as the reaction center was developed, which possesses the characteristics of high sensitivity, small scale, simplified operation and so on, and has been used for in situ detection of abrin. First, combining with magnetic separation technique, the “biotin-avidin” method was used to immobilize the polyclonal antibody (pcAb on the magnetic microspheres surface as the capture probe. Secondly, the Ru(bpy32+-labeled monoclonal antibody (mcAb was used as the specific electrochemiluminescence signal probe. Then, the “mcAb-toxin-pcAb” sandwich model was built to actualize the quantitative detection of abrin on the surface of the screen-printed electrode. The linear detection range was 0.5–1000 ng/mL; the regression equation was Y = 89.251lgX + 104.978 (R = 0.9989, n = 7, p < 0.0001; and the limit of detection (LOD was 0.1 ng/mL. The sensing system showed high sensitivity, excellent specificity and good anti-interference ability, and could be used for the analysis of trace abrin in various environmental samples with good recovery and reproducibility. Compared with the traditional electrochemiluminescence sensing device, its miniaturization and portability gives it potential to satisfy the requirement of in situ detection.

  3. A comparison of web-based versus print-based decision AIDS for prostate cancer screening: participants' evaluation and utilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomko, Catherine; Davis, Kimberly M; Luta, George; Krist, Alexander H; Woolf, Steven H; Taylor, Kathryn L

    2015-01-01

    Patient decision aids facilitate informed decision making for medical tests and procedures that have uncertain benefits. To describe participants' evaluation and utilization of print-based and web-based prostate cancer screening decision aids that were found to improve decisional outcomes in a prior randomized controlled trial. Men completed brief telephone interviews at baseline, one month, and 13 months post-randomization. Participants were primary care patients, 45-70 years old, who received the print-based (N = 628) or web-based decision aid (N = 625) and completed the follow-up assessments. We assessed men's baseline preference for web-based or print-based materials, time spent using the decision aids, comprehension of the overall message, and ratings of the content. Decision aid use was self-reported by 64.3 % (web) and 81.8 % (print) of participants. Significant predictors of decision aid use were race (white vs. non-white, OR = 2.43, 95 % CI: 1.77, 3.35), higher education (OR = 1.68, 95 % CI: 1.06, 2.70) and trial arm (print vs. web, OR = 2.78, 95 % CI: 2.03, 3.83). Multivariable analyses indicated that web-arm participants were more likely to use the website when they preferred web-based materials (OR: 1.91, CI: 1.17, 3.12), whereas use of the print materials was not significantly impacted by a preference for print-based materials (OR: 0.69, CI: 0.38, 1.25). Comprehension of the decision aid message (i.e., screening is an individual decision) did not significantly differ between arms in adjusted analyses (print: 61.9 % and web: 68.2 %, p = 0.42). Decision aid use was independently influenced by race, education, and the decision aid medium, findings consistent with the 'digital divide.' These results suggest that when it is not possible to provide this age cohort with their preferred decision aid medium, print materials will be more highly used than web-based materials. Although there are many advantages to web-based decision aids, providing an option for

  4. Performance, stability and operation voltage optimization of screen-printed aqueous supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehtimäki, Suvi; Railanmaa, Anna; Keskinen, Jari; Kujala, Manu; Tuukkanen, Sampo; Lupo, Donald

    2017-04-06

    Harvesting micropower energy from the ambient environment requires an intermediate energy storage, for which printed aqueous supercapacitors are well suited due to their low cost and environmental friendliness. In this work, a systematic study of a large set of devices is used to investigate the effect of process variability and operating voltage on the performance and stability of screen printed aqueous supercapacitors. The current collectors and active layers are printed with graphite and activated carbon inks, respectively, and aqueous NaCl used as the electrolyte. The devices are characterized through galvanostatic discharge measurements for quantitative determination of capacitance and equivalent series resistance (ESR), as well as impedance spectroscopy for a detailed study of the factors contributing to ESR. The capacitances are 200-360 mF and the ESRs 7.9-12.7 Ω, depending on the layer thicknesses. The ESR is found to be dominated by the resistance of the graphite current collectors and is compatible with applications in low-power distributed electronics. The effects of different operating voltages on the capacitance, leakage and aging rate of the supercapacitors are tested, and 1.0 V found to be the optimal choice for using the devices in energy harvesting applications.

  5. Product integration of compact roll-to-roll processed polymer solar cell modules: methods and manufacture using flexographic printing, slot-die coating and rotary screen printing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krebs, Frederik C; Fyenbo, Jan; Jørgensen, Mikkel

    2010-01-01

    The improvement of the performance of roll-to-roll processed polymer solar cell modules through miniaturization of the device outline is described. The devices were prepared using full roll-to-roll processing comprising flexographic printing, slot-die coating and rotary screen printing to create ......HT:[70]PCBM. The solar cell modules were used to demonstrate the complete manufacture of a small lamp entirely using techniques of flexible electronics. The solar cell module was used to charge a polymer lithium ion battery through a blocking diode. The entire process was fully automated...

  6. Electrochemical Study of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol by Cyclic Voltammetry Using Screen Printed Electrode, Improvements in Forensic Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Antonio BALBINO

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Rapid screening of seized drugs is a continuing problem for governmental laboratories and customs agents. Recently new and cheaper methods based on electrochemical sensing have been developed for the detection of illicit drugs. Screen printed electrodes are particularly useful in this regard and can provide excellent sensitivity. In this study, a carbon screen printed electrode for the voltammetric analysis of D9-THC was developed. The analysis was performed using cyclic voltammetry with 0.15 mol×L-1 potassium nitrate as a supporting electrolyte. In the analysis, a D9-THC standard solution was added to the surface electrode by a drop coating method. A study of scan rate, time of pre-concentration, and concentration influence parameters showed versatility during the investigation. The high sensitivity, quantitative capability and low limit of detection (1.0 µmol×L-1 demonstrate that this electrochemical method should be an attractive alternative in forensic investigations of seized samples.

  7. Screen-Printing Fabrication and Characterization of Stretchable Electronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suikkola, Jari; Björninen, Toni; Mosallaei, Mahmoud; Kankkunen, Timo; Iso-Ketola, Pekka; Ukkonen, Leena; Vanhala, Jukka; Mäntysalo, Matti

    2016-01-01

    This article focuses on the fabrication and characterization of stretchable interconnects for wearable electronics applications. Interconnects were screen-printed with a stretchable silver-polymer composite ink on 50-μm thick thermoplastic polyurethane. The initial sheet resistances of the manufactured interconnects were an average of 36.2 mΩ/◽, and half the manufactured samples withstood single strains of up to 74%. The strain proportionality of resistance is discussed, and a regression model is introduced. Cycling strain increased resistance. However, the resistances here were almost fully reversible, and this recovery was time-dependent. Normalized resistances to 10%, 15%, and 20% cyclic strains stabilized at 1.3, 1.4, and 1.7. We also tested the validity of our model for radio-frequency applications through characterization of a stretchable radio-frequency identification tag. PMID:27173424

  8. Screen-Printing Fabrication and Characterization of Stretchable Electronics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suikkola, Jari; Björninen, Toni; Mosallaei, Mahmoud; Kankkunen, Timo; Iso-Ketola, Pekka; Ukkonen, Leena; Vanhala, Jukka; Mäntysalo, Matti

    2016-05-13

    This article focuses on the fabrication and characterization of stretchable interconnects for wearable electronics applications. Interconnects were screen-printed with a stretchable silver-polymer composite ink on 50-μm thick thermoplastic polyurethane. The initial sheet resistances of the manufactured interconnects were an average of 36.2 mΩ/◽, and half the manufactured samples withstood single strains of up to 74%. The strain proportionality of resistance is discussed, and a regression model is introduced. Cycling strain increased resistance. However, the resistances here were almost fully reversible, and this recovery was time-dependent. Normalized resistances to 10%, 15%, and 20% cyclic strains stabilized at 1.3, 1.4, and 1.7. We also tested the validity of our model for radio-frequency applications through characterization of a stretchable radio-frequency identification tag.

  9. Effect of sintering temperatures and screen printing types on TiO2 layers in DSSC applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Supriyanto, Agus; Furqoni, Lutfi; Nurosyid, Fahru; Hidayat, Jojo; Suryana, Risa

    2016-03-01

    Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is a candidate solar cell, which has a big potential in the future due to its eco-friendly material. This research is conducted to study the effect of sintering temperature and the type of screen-printing toward the characteristics of TiO2 layer as a working electrode in DSSC. TiO2 layers were fabricated using a screen-printing method with a mesh size of T-49, T-55, and T-61. TiO2 layers were sintered at temperatures of 600°C and 650°C for 60 min. DSSC structure was composed of TiO2 as semiconductors, ruthenium complex as dyes, and carbon as counter electrodes. The morphology of TiO2 layer was observed by using Nikon E2 Digital Camera Microscopy. The efficiencies of DSSC were calculated from the I-V curves. The highest efficiency is 0.015% at TiO2 layer fabricated with screen type T-61 and at a sintering temperature of 650°C.

  10. Determination of mercury in ambient water samples by anodic stripping voltammetry on screen-printed gold electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernalte, E; Marín Sánchez, C; Pinilla Gil, E

    2011-03-09

    The applicability of commercial screen-printed gold electrodes (SPGEs) for the determination of Hg(II) in ambient water samples by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry has been demonstrated. Electrode conditioning procedures, chemical and instrumental variables have been optimized to develop a reliable method capable of measuring dissolved mercury in the low ng mL(-1) range (detection limit 1.1 ng mL(-1)), useful for pollution monitoring or screening purposes. The proposed method was tested with the NIST 1641d Mercury in Water Standard Reference Material (recoveries 90.0-110%) and the NCS ZC 76303 Mercury in Water Certified Reference Material (recoveries 82.5-90.6%). Waste water samples from industrial origin and fortified rain water samples were assayed for mercury by the proposed method and by a reference ICP-MS method, with good agreement. Screen printing technology thus opens a useful way for the construction of reliable electrochemical sensors for decentralized or even field Hg(II) testing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of sintering temperatures and screen printing types on TiO_2 layers in DSSC applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Supriyanto, Agus; Furqoni, Lutfi; Nurosyid, Fahru; Suryana, Risa; Hidayat, Jojo

    2016-01-01

    Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is a candidate solar cell, which has a big potential in the future due to its eco-friendly material. This research is conducted to study the effect of sintering temperature and the type of screen-printing toward the characteristics of TiO_2 layer as a working electrode in DSSC. TiO_2 layers were fabricated using a screen-printing method with a mesh size of T-49, T-55, and T-61. TiO_2 layers were sintered at temperatures of 600°C and 650°C for 60 min. DSSC structure was composed of TiO_2 as semiconductors, ruthenium complex as dyes, and carbon as counter electrodes. The morphology of TiO_2 layer was observed by using Nikon E2 Digital Camera Microscopy. The efficiencies of DSSC were calculated from the I-V curves. The highest efficiency is 0.015% at TiO_2 layer fabricated with screen type T-61 and at a sintering temperature of 650°C.

  12. Direct and mediated electrochemistry of peroxidase and its electrocatalysis on a variety of screen-printed carbon electrodes: amperometric hydrogen peroxide and phenols biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chekin, Fereshteh; Gorton, Lo; Tapsobea, Issa

    2015-01-01

    This study compares the behaviour of direct and mediated electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilised on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs), screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with carboxyl-functionalised multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-SPCEs) and screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with carboxyl-functionalised single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT-SPCEs). The techniques of cyclic voltammetry and amperometry in the flow mode were used to characterise the properties of the HRP immobilised on screen-printed electrodes. From measurements of the mediated and mediatorless currents of hydrogen peroxide reduction at the HRP-modified electrodes, it was concluded that the fraction of enzyme molecules in direct electron transfer (DET) contact with the electrode varies substantially for the different electrodes. It was observed that the screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-SPCEs and SWCNT-SPCEs) demonstrated a substantially higher percentage (≈100 %) of HRP molecules in DET contact than the screen-printed carbon electrodes (≈60 %). The HRP-modified electrodes were used for determination of hydrogen peroxide in mediatorless mode. The SWCNT-SPCE gave the lowest detection limit (0.40 ± 0.09 μM) followed by MWCNT-SPCE (0.48 ± 0.07 μM) and SPCE (0.98 ± 0.2 μM). These modified electrodes were additionally developed for amperometric determination of phenolic compounds. It was found that the SWCNT-SPCE gave a detection limit for catechol of 110.2 ± 3.6 nM, dopamine of 640.2 ± 9.2 nM, octopamine of 3341 ± 15 nM, pyrogallol of 50.10 ± 2.9 nM and 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine of 980.7 ± 8.7 nM using 50 μM H2O2 in the flow carrier.

  13. Evaluation of electrochemical, UV/VIS and Raman spectroelectrochemical detection of Naratriptan with screen-printed electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernández, Carla Navarro; Martín-Yerga, Daniel; González-García, María Begoña; Hernández-Santos, David; Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo

    2018-02-01

    Naratriptan, active pharmaceutical ingredient with antimigraine activity was electrochemically detected in untreated screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs). Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry were used to carry out quantitative analysis of this molecule (in a Britton-Robinson buffer solution at pH 3.0) through its irreversible oxidation (diffusion controlled) at a potential of +0.75V (vs. Ag pseudoreference electrode). Naratriptan oxidation product is an indole based dimer with a yellowish colour (maximum absorption at 320nm) so UV-VIS spectroelectrochemistry technique was used for the very first time as an in situ characterization and quantification technique for this molecule. A reflection configuration approach allowed its measurement over the untreated carbon based electrode. Finally, time resolved Raman Spectroelectrochemistry is used as a powerful technique to carry out qualitative and quantitative analysis of Naratriptan. Electrochemically treated silver screen-printed electrodes are shown as easy to use and cost-effective SERS substrates for the analysis of Naratriptan. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with “Green” Metals for Electrochemical Stripping Analysis of Toxic Elements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasios Economou

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This work reviews the field of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs modified with “green” metals for electrochemical stripping analysis of toxic elements. Electrochemical stripping analysis has been established as a useful trace analysis technique offering many advantages compared to competing optical techniques. Although mercury has been the preferred electrode material for stripping analysis, the toxicity of mercury and the associated legal requirements in its use and disposal have prompted research towards the development of “green” metals as alternative electrode materials. When combined with the screen-printing technology, such environment-friendly metals can lead to disposable sensors for trace metal analysis with excellent operational characteristics. This review focuses on SPEs modified with Au, Bi, Sb, and Sn for stripping analysis of toxic elements. Different modification approaches (electroplating, bulk modification, use of metal precursors, microengineering techniques are considered and representative applications are described. A developing related field, namely biosensing based on stripping analysis of metallic nanoprobe labels, is also briefly mentioned.

  15. Photovoltaic and Impedance Spectroscopy Study of Screen-Printed TiO2 Based CdS Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Atif

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Cadmium sulphide (CdS quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs based on screen-printed TiO2 were assembled using a screen-printing technique. The CdS quantum dots (QDs were grown by using the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR method. The optical properties were studied by UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy. Photovoltaic characteristics and impedance spectroscopic measurements of CdS QDSSCs were carried out under air mass 1.5 illuminations. The experimental results of capacitance against voltage indicate a trend from positive to negative capacitance because of the injection of electrons from the Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO electrode into TiO2.

  16. A Stretchable Radio-Frequency Strain Sensor Using Screen Printing Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Heijun; Lim, Sungjoon

    2016-11-02

    In this paper, we propose a stretchable radio-frequency (RF) strain sensor fabricated with screen printing technology. The RF sensor is designed using a half-wavelength patch that resonates at 3.7 GHz. The resonant frequency is determined by the length of the patch, and it therefore changes when the patch is stretched. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is used to create the substrate, because of its stretchable and screen-printable surface. In addition, Dupont PE872 (Dupont, NC, American) silver conductive ink is used to create the stretchable conductive patterns. The sensor performance is demonstrated both with full-wave simulations and with measurements carried out on a fabricated sample. When the length of the patch sensor is increased by a 7.8% stretch, the resonant frequency decreases from 3.7 GHz to 3.43 GHz, evidencing a sensitivity of 3.43 × 10⁷ Hz/%. Stretching the patch along its width does not change the resonant frequency.

  17. Packaging Printing Today

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanislav Bolanča

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Printing packaging covers today about 50% of all the printing products. Among the printing products there are printing on labels, printing on flexible packaging, printing on folding boxes, printing on the boxes of corrugated board, printing on glass packaging, synthetic and metal ones. The mentioned packaging are printed in flexo printing technique, offset printing technique, intaglio halftone process, silk – screen printing, ink ball printing, digital printing and hybrid printing process. The possibilities of particular printing techniques for optimal production of the determined packaging were studied in the paper. The problem was viewed from the technological and economical aspect. The possible printing quality and the time necessary for the printing realization were taken as key parameters. An important segment of the production and the way of life is alocation value and it had also found its place in this paper. The events in the field of packaging printing in the whole world were analyzed. The trends of technique developments and the printing technology for packaging printing in near future were also discussed.

  18. High performance screen-printed electrodes prepared by a green solvent approach for lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gören, A.; Mendes, J.; Rodrigues, H. M.; Sousa, R. E.; Oliveira, J.; Hilliou, L.; Costa, C. M.; Silva, M. M.; Lanceros-Méndez, S.

    2016-12-01

    New inks based on lithium iron phosphate and graphite for cathode and anode, respectively, were developed for printable lithium-ion batteries using the "green solvent" N,N‧-dimethylpropyleneurea (DMPU) and poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, as a binder. The results were compared with the ones from inks developed with the conventionally used solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, NMP. The rheological properties of the PVDF/DMPU binder solution shows a more pronounced shear thinning behavior than the PVDF/NMP solution. Cathode inks prepared with 2.25 mL and 2.50 mL of DMPU for 1 g of electrode mass show an apparent viscosity of 3 Pa s and 2 Pa s for a shear rate of 100 s-1, respectively, being therefore processable by screen-printing or doctor blade techniques. The electrodes prepared with DMPU and processed by screen-printing show a capacity of 52 mAh g-1 at 2C for the cathode and 349 mAh g-1 at C/5 for the anode, after 45 charge-discharge cycles. The electrochemical performance of both electrodes was evaluated in a full-cell and after 9 cycles, the discharge capacity value is 81 mAh g-1, showing a discharge capacity retention of 64%. The new inks presented in this work are thus suitable for the development of printed batteries and represent a step forward towards more environmental friendly processes.

  19. Photosensitive space charge limited current in screen printed CdTe thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyas, C. U.; Pataniya, Pratik; Zankat, Chetan K.; Patel, Alkesh B.; Pathak, V. M.; Patel, K. D.; Solanki, G. K.

    2018-05-01

    Group II-VI Compounds have emerged out as most suitable in the class of photo sensitive material. They represent a strong position in terms of their applications in the field of detectors as well as photo voltaic devices. Cadmium telluride is the prime member of this Group, because of high acceptance of this material as active component in opto-electronic devices. In this paper we report preparation and characterization of CdTe thin films by using a most economical screen printing technique in association with sintering at 510°C temperature. Surface morphology and smoothness are prime parameters of any deposited to be used as an active region of devices. Thus, we studied of the screen printed thin film by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for this purpose. However, growth processes induced intrinsic defects in fabricated films work as charge traps and affect the conduction process significantly. So the conduction mechanism of deposited CdTe thin film is studied under dark as well as illuminated conditions. It is found that the deposited films showed the space charge limited conduction (SCLC) mechanism and hence various parameters of space charge limited conduction (SCLC) of CdTe film were evaluated and discussed and the photo responsive resistance is also presented in this paper.

  20. Performance of glass RPC with industrial silk-screen-printed electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ambrosio, M.; Candela, A.; De Deo, M.; D'Incecco, M.; Gamba, D.; Giuliano, A.; Gustavino, C.; Morganti, S.; Redaelli, N.; Tonazzo, A.; Trinchero, G.C.

    2003-01-01

    In this paper we describe the performance of several Glass RPCs, where the water-based graphite coating is replaced by a synthetic coating applied using the screen printing technique. As expected, the performance of the detectors is good and reproducible due to the accurate control of the coating resistivity value. The resistance of the coating to the action of mechanical and chemical agents permits an easy electrode cleaning and mounting with respect to the RPC coated with the graphite varnish. This coating, together with the use of float glass as electrode material, allows an industrial production, where the detector characteristics can be tailored as a function of the experiment requirements

  1. A microband lactate biosensor fabricated using a water-based screen-printed carbon ink.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rawson, F J; Purcell, W M; Xu, J; Pemberton, R M; Fielden, P R; Biddle, N; Hart, J P

    2009-01-15

    The present study demonstrated for the first time that screen-printed carbon microband electrodes fabricated from water-based ink can readily detect H(2)O(2) and that the same ink, with the addition of lactate oxidase, can be used to construct microband biosensors to measure lactate. These microband devices were fabricated by a simple cutting procedure using conventional sized screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) containing the electrocatalyst cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC). These devices were characterised with H(2)O(2) using several electrochemical techniques. Cyclic voltammograms were found to be sigmoidal; a current density value of 4.2 mA cm(-2) was obtained. A scan rate study revealed that the mass transport mechanism was a mixture of radial and planar diffusion. However, a further amperometric study under quiescent and hydrodynamic conditions indicated that radial diffusion predominated. A chronoamperometric study indicated that steady-state currents were obtained with these devices for a variety of H(2)O(2) concentrations and that the currents were proportional to the analyte concentration. Lactate microband biosensors were then fabricated by incorporating lactate oxidase into the water-based formulation prior to printing and then cutting as described. Voltammograms demonstrated that lactate oxidase did not compromise the integrity of the electrode for H(2)O(2) detection. A potential of +400 mV was selected for a calibration study, which showed that lactate could be measured over a dynamic range of 1-10mM which was linear up to 6mM; a calculated lower limit of detection of 289 microM was ascertained. This study provides a platform for monitoring cell metabolism in-vitro by measuring lactate electrochemically via a microband biosensor.

  2. Effect of sintering temperatures and screen printing types on TiO{sub 2} layers in DSSC applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Supriyanto, Agus; Furqoni, Lutfi; Nurosyid, Fahru, E-mail: nurosyid@yahoo.com; Suryana, Risa [Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Sebel as Maret University Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A Kentingan Surakarta 57126 (Indonesia); Hidayat, Jojo [Research Center for Electronics and Telecommunication, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (PPET-LIPI) Kampus LIPI Gd. 20 Jl. Sangkuriang Bandung (Indonesia)

    2016-03-29

    Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is a candidate solar cell, which has a big potential in the future due to its eco-friendly material. This research is conducted to study the effect of sintering temperature and the type of screen-printing toward the characteristics of TiO{sub 2} layer as a working electrode in DSSC. TiO{sub 2} layers were fabricated using a screen-printing method with a mesh size of T-49, T-55, and T-61. TiO{sub 2} layers were sintered at temperatures of 600°C and 650°C for 60 min. DSSC structure was composed of TiO{sub 2} as semiconductors, ruthenium complex as dyes, and carbon as counter electrodes. The morphology of TiO{sub 2} layer was observed by using Nikon E2 Digital Camera Microscopy. The efficiencies of DSSC were calculated from the I-V curves. The highest efficiency is 0.015% at TiO{sub 2} layer fabricated with screen type T-61 and at a sintering temperature of 650°C.

  3. Effect of Nanoparticles on Modified Screen Printed Inhibition Superoxide Dismutase Electrodes for Aluminum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miriam Barquero-Quirós

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A novel amperometric biosensor for the determination of Al(III based on the inhibition of the enzyme superoxide dismutase has been developed. The oxidation signal of epinephrine substrate was affected by the presence of Al(III ions leading to a decrease in its amperometric current. The immobilization of the enzyme was performed with glutaraldehyde on screen-printed carbon electrodes modifiedwith tetrathiofulvalene (TTF and different types ofnanoparticles. Nanoparticles of gold, platinum, rhodium and palladium were deposited on screen printed carbon electrodes by means of two electrochemical procedures. Nanoparticles were characterized trough scanning electronic microscopy, X-rays fluorescence, and atomic force microscopy. Palladium nanoparticles showed lower atomic force microscopy parameters and higher slope of aluminum calibration curves and were selected to perform sensor validation. The developed biosensor has a detection limit of 2.0 ± 0.2 μM for Al(III, with a reproducibility of 7.9% (n = 5. Recovery of standard reference material spiked to buffer solution was 103.8% with a relative standard deviation of 4.8% (n = 5. Recovery of tap water spiked with the standard reference material was 100.5 with a relative standard deviation of 3.4% (n = 3. The study of interfering ions has also been carried out.

  4. Pulsed Polarization-Based NOx Sensors of YSZ Films Produced by the Aerosol Deposition Method and by Screen-Printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Exner, Jörg; Albrecht, Gaby; Schönauer-Kamin, Daniela; Kita, Jaroslaw; Moos, Ralf

    2017-07-26

    The pulsed polarization technique on solid electrolytes is based on alternating potential pulses interrupted by self-discharge pauses. Since even small concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) in the ppm range significantly change the polarization and discharge behavior, pulsed polarization sensors are well suited to measure low amounts of NO x . In contrast to all previous investigations, planar pulsed polarization sensors were built using an electrolyte thick film and platinum interdigital electrodes on alumina substrates. Two different sensor layouts were investigated, the first with buried Pt electrodes under the electrolyte and the second one with conventional overlying Pt electrodes. Electrolyte thick films were either formed by aerosol deposition or by screen-printing, therefore exhibiting a dense or porous microstructure, respectively. For screen-printed electrolytes, the influence of the electrolyte resistance on the NO x sensing ability was investigated as well. Sensors with buried electrodes showed little to no response even at higher NO x concentrations, in good agreement with the intended sensor mechanism. Electrolyte films with overlying electrodes, however, allowed the quantitative detection of NO x . In particular, aerosol deposited electrolytes exhibited high sensitivities with a sensor output signal Δ U of 50 mV and 75 mV for 3 ppm of NO and NO₂, respectively. For screen-printed electrolytes, a clear trend indicated a decrease in sensitivity with increased electrolyte resistance.

  5. Fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films by a combination of mechanochemical and screen-printing/sintering processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wada, T.; Matsuo, Y.; Nomura, S.; Nakamura, Y.; Miyamura, A.; Chiba, Y.; Konagai, M.; Yamada, A.

    2006-01-01

    We prepared fine Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) powder suitable for screen printing using a mechanochemical process. Particulate precursors were deposited in a thin layer by a screen-printing technique, the remaining organic solvent was removed from the screen-printed CIGS film and finally the porous precursor layer was sintered into a dense polycrystalline film by atmospheric-pressure firing. The crystal structure of the film was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and the microstructure was observed in a SEM. The thickness of the film was 5-10 μm with a grain size of about 2 μm. The films were also observed in a TEM. The grain size of the as-prepared powder was less than 1 μm; however, it enlarged to 2-3 μm after firing at 575 C under a Se ambient. Preliminary CIGS solar cells with our standard Al grid/B-doped ZnO/i-ZnO/ CdS/CIGS/Mo/soda-lime glass structure were fabricated. An efficiency of 2.7%, a V oc of 0.325 V, a J sc of 28.3 mA/cm 2 and a FF of 0.295 was obtained. (copyright 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  6. A thiophene-modified screen printed electrode for detection of dengue virus NS1 protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, M M S; Dias, A C M S; Cordeiro, M T; Marques, E; Goulart, M O F; Dutra, R F

    2014-10-01

    A thiophene-modified screen printed electrode (SPE) for detection of the Dengue virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1), an important marker for acute phase diagnosis, is described. A sulfur-containing heterocyclic compound, the thiophene was incorporated to a carbon ink to prepare reproducible screen printed electrodes. After cured, the thiophene SPE was coated by gold nanoparticles conjugated to Protein A to form a nanostrutured surface. The Anti-NS1 antibodies immobilized via their Fc portions via Protein A, leaving their antigen specific sites free circumventing the problem of a random antibodies immobilization. Amperometric responses to the NS1 protein of dengue virus were obtained by cyclic voltammetries performed in presence of ferrocyanide/ferricyanide as redox probe. The calibration curve of immunosensor showed a linear response from 0.04 µg mL(-1) to 0.6 µg mL(-1) of NS1 with a good linear correlation (r=0.991, pink enhanced the electroanalytical properties of the SPEs, increasing their reproducibility and sensitivity. This point-of-care testing represents a great potential for use in epidemic situations, facilitating the early diagnosis in acute phase of dengue virus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Nafion® modified-screen printed gold electrodes and their carbon nanostructuration for electrochemical sensors applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-González, Raquel; Fernández-Abedul, M Teresa; Costa-García, Agustín

    2013-03-30

    Screen printed electrodes are frequently used in electroanalytical applications because of their properties such as small size, low detection limit, fast response time, high reproducibility and disposable nature. On the other hand, since the discovery of carbon nanotubes there has been enormous interest in exploring and exploiting their properties, especially for their use in chemical (bio)sensors and nanoscale electronic devices. This paper reports the characterization of gold screen printed electrodes, modified with Nafion(®) and nanostructured with carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers dispersed on Nafion(®). The dispersing agent and the nanostructure have a marked effect on the analytical signal that, in turn depends on the intrinsic characteristics of the analyte. Several model analytes have been employed in this study. Anionic, cationic and neutral species such as methylene blue, dopamine, iron (III) sulfate, potassium ferrycianide and urea were considered. The importance for the development of nanostructured sensors relies on the fact that depending on these factors the situation may vary from a notorious enhancement of the signal to a blocking or even decrease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Optimization of screen-printed ruthenium dioxide electrodes for pH measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wyzkiewicz, I.

    2002-01-01

    Optimization of disposable, screen-printed pH-sensors based on ruthenium dioxide is described in this paper. The electrodes were prepared with the use of thick-film technology. The pH-sensitive layers were deposited onto polyester foil. Polymer graphite paste containing ruthenium dioxide from 0% to 90% has been investigated. The dependence of the pH-sensitive layers related to ruthenium dioxide content is presented. The investigation proved that the electrodes containing 40-60% ruthenium dioxide exhibit linear high sensitivity (∼ 50 mV/pH) in the wide range of pH (2 - 11) as well as very good reproducibility. (author)

  9. Photoelectrochemical characterization of squaraine-sensitized nickel oxide cathodes deposited via screen-printing for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naponiello, Gaia; Venditti, Iole [Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy); Zardetto, Valerio [Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome - Tor Vergata, via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome (Italy); Saccone, Davide [Department of Chemistry and NIS, Interdepartmental Centre of Excellence, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 7, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Di Carlo, Aldo [Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome - Tor Vergata, via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome (Italy); Fratoddi, Ilaria [Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy); Center for Nanotechnology for Engineering (CNIS), Sapienza University of Rome P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy); Barolo, Claudia [Department of Chemistry and NIS, Interdepartmental Centre of Excellence, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 7, I-10125 Torino (Italy); Dini, Danilo, E-mail: danilo.dini@uniroma1.it [Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome (Italy)

    2015-11-30

    Graphical abstract: Screen-printing method has been adopted for the deposition of nickel oxide thin film electrodes with mesoporous features. Nickel oxide was sensitized with three newly synthesized squaraines (VG1C8,VG10C8 and DS2/35) and employed as photoelectroactive cathode of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells. Colorant erythrosine b (EB) was taken as commercial benchmark for comparative purposes. Sensitization was successful with the attainment of overall conversion efficiencies in the order of 0.025% when the mesoporous surface of nickel oxide was alkali treated. The prolongation of nickel oxide sensitization time up to 16 h led to a general increase of the open circuit voltage in the corresponding solar cells. - Highlights: • We deposited nickel oxide with screen-printing technique utilizing nickel oxide nanoparticles. • We employed screen-printed nickel oxide as cathodes of p-DSCs. • We employed new squaraine as sensitizers of screen-printed nickel oxide. • Further progress is expected when the formulation of the screen-printing paste will be optimized. - Abstract: In the present paper we report on the employment of the screen-printing method for the deposition of nickel oxide (NiO{sub x}) layers when preformed nanoparticles of the metal oxide (diameter < 50 nm) constitute the precursors in the paste. The applicative purpose of this study is the deposition of mesoporous NiO{sub x} electrodes in the configuration of thin films (thickness, l ≤ 4 μm) for the realization of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSCs). Three different squaraine-based dyes (here indicated with VG1C8, VG10C8 and DS2/35), have been used for the first time as sensitizers of a p-type DSC electrode. VG1C8 and VG10C8 present two carboxylic groups as anchoring moieties, whereas DS2/35 sensitizer possesses four acidic anchoring groups. All three squaraines are symmetrical and differ mainly for the extent of electronic conjugation. The colorant erythrosine b (ERY B) was taken as

  10. A screen-printed circular-type paper-based glucose/O2 biofuel cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shitanda, Isao; Nohara, Saki; Hoshi, Yoshinao; Itagaki, Masayuki; Tsujimura, Seiya

    2017-08-01

    The printable paper-based enzymatic biofuel cell (PBFC) to directly power small devices is an important objective for realizing cost-effective and disposable energy harvesting devices. In the present study, a screen-printed circular-type PBFC, composed of a series of 5 individual cells, was constructed. The PBFC exhibited the open circuit potential of 2.65 V and maximum power of 350 μW at 1.55 V, which were sufficient to illuminate an LED without requiring a booster circuit. The output voltage of this PBFC can also be easily adjusted as required.

  11. Reaction of photochemical resists used in screen printing under the influence of digitally modulated ultra violet light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gmuender, T.

    2017-02-01

    Different chemical photo-reactive emulsions are used in screen printing for stencil production. Depending on the bandwidth, optical power and depth of field from the optical system, the reaction / exposure speed has a diverse value. In this paper, the emulsions get categorized and validated in a first step. After that a mathematical model gets developed and adapted due to heuristic experience to estimate the exposure speed under the influence of digitally modulated ultra violet (UV) light. The main intention is to use the technical specifications (intended wavelength, exposure time, distance to the stencil, electrical power, stencil configuration) in the emulsion data sheet primary written down with an uncertainty factor for the end user operating with large projector arc lamps and photo films. These five parameters are the inputs for a mathematical formula which gives as an output the exposure speed for the Computer to Screen (CTS) machine calculated for each emulsion / stencil setup. The importance of this work relies in the possibility to rate with just a few boundaries the performance and capacity of an exposure system used in screen printing instead of processing a long test series for each emulsion / stencil configuration.

  12. NADH oxidation on screen-printed electrode modified with a new phenothiazine diazonium salt

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doumeche, Bastien; Blum, Loic J. [GEMBAS, Genie Enzymatique, Membranes Biomimetiques et Assemblages Supramoleculaires, ICBMS UMR 5246, Universite Lyon 1, 43 bd du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne (France)

    2010-10-15

    NADH oxidation catalysts are extremely important in the field of electrochemical biosensors and enzymatic biofuel cells. Based on the growing diazonium chemistry, we synthesized the diazonium salt of the well-known NADH mediator toluidine blue O. The electrochemical reduction of the diazonium moiety by cyclic voltammetry onto a screen-printed electrode leads to an electrocatalyst suitable for the oxidation of NADH. The amperometric response for its oxidation shows a maximal current of 1.2 {mu}A ([NADH] = 100 {mu}M). Based on electrochemical measurements, the surface coverage is found to be 3.78 x 10{sup -11} mol cm{sup -2} and the heterogeneous standard rate constant k{sub h} is 1.21 {+-} 0.16 s{sup -1}. The sensitive layer for the oxidation of NADH is improved by electrografting the diazonium salt with a potentiostatic method. Both the surface coverage and the heterogeneous standard rate constant k{sub h} are improved and found to be 6.08 {+-} 0.63 x 10{sup -11} mol cm{sup -2} and {proportional_to} 5.02 s{sup -} {sup 1}, respectively. The amperometric response is also improved by an 8 fold factor, reaching 9.87 {mu}A ([NADH] = 120 {mu}M). These remarkably high values for screen-printed electrodes are comparable to glassy carbon electrodes making this method suitable for low-cost bioelectronical devices. (author)

  13. Characterization of Screen-Printed Organic Electrochemical Transistors to Detect Cations of Different Sizes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Contat-Rodrigo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A novel screen-printing fabrication method was used to prepare organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene doped with polysterene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS. Initially, three types of these screen-printed OECTs with a different channel and gate areas ratio were compared in terms of output characteristics, transfer characteristics, and current modulation in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS solution. Results confirm that transistors with a gate electrode larger than the channel exhibit higher modulation. OECTs with this geometry were therefore chosen to investigate their ion-sensitive properties in aqueous solutions of cations of different sizes (sodium and rhodamine B. The effect of the gate electrode was additionally studied by comparing these all-PEDOT:PSS transistors with OECTs with the same geometry but with a non-polarizable metal gate (Ag. The operation of the all-PEDOT:PSS OECTs yields a response that is not dependent on a Na+ or rhodamine concentration. The weak modulation of these transistors can be explained assuming that PEDOT:PSS behaves like a supercapacitor. In contrast, the operation of Ag-Gate OECTs yields a response that is dependent on ion concentration due to the redox reaction taking place at the gate electrode with Cl− counter-ions. This indicates that, for cation detection, the response is maximized in OECTs with non-polarizable gate electrodes.

  14. Electrochemical study and flow injection analysis of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations based on screen-printed electrodes and carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo; Lamas-Ardisana, Pedro Jose; Hernandez-Santos, David; Costa-Garcia, Agustin

    2009-01-01

    Acetaminophenol or paracetamol is one of the most commonly used analgesics in pharmaceutical formulations. Acetaminophen is electroactive and voltammetric mechanistic studies for the electrode processes of the acetaminophenol/N-acetyl-p-quinoneimine redox system are presented. Carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrodes with enhanced electron transfer properties are used for the study of the electrochemical-chemical oxidation mechanism of paracetamol at pH 2.0. Quantitative analysis of paracetamol by using its oxidation process (in a Britton-Robinson buffer solution pH 10.0) at +0.20 V (vs. an Ag pseudoreference electrode) on an untreated screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was carried out. Thus, a cyclic voltammetric based reproducible determination of acetaminophen (R.S.D., 2.2%) in the range 2.5 x 10 -6 M to 1 x 10 -3 M, was obtained. However, when SPCEs are used as amperometric detectors coupled to a flow injection analysis (FIA) system, the detection limit achieved for paracetamol was 1 x 10 -7 M, one order of magnitude lower than that obtained by voltammetric analysis. The repeatability of the amperometric detection with the same SPCE is 2% for 15 successive injections of 10 -5 M acetaminophen and do not present any memory effect. Finally, the applicability of using screen-printed carbon electrodes for the electrochemical detection of paracetamol (i.e. for quality control analysis) was demonstrated by using two commercial pharmaceutical products.

  15. Pencil It in: Exploring the Feasibility of Hand-Drawn Pencil Electrochemical Sensors and Their Direct Comparison to Screen-Printed Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Bernalte

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available We explore the fabrication, physicochemical characterisation (SEM, Raman, EDX and XPS and electrochemical application of hand-drawn pencil electrodes (PDEs upon an ultra-flexible polyester substrate; investigating the number of draws (used for their fabrication, the pencil grade utilised (HB to 9B and the electrochemical properties of an array of batches (i.e, pencil boxes. Electrochemical characterisation of the PDEs, using different batches of HB grade pencils, is undertaken using several inner- and outer-sphere redox probes and is critically compared to screen-printed electrodes (SPEs. Proof-of-concept is demonstrated for the electrochemical sensing of dopamine and acetaminophen using PDEs, which are found to exhibit competitive limits of detection (3σ upon comparison to SPEs. Nonetheless, it is important to note that a clear lack of reproducibility was demonstrated when utilising these PDEs fabricated using the HB pencils from different batches. We also explore the suitability and feasibility of a pencil-drawn reference electrode compared to screen-printed alternatives, to see if one can draw the entire sensing platform. This article reports a critical assessment of these PDEs against that of its screen-printed competitors, questioning the overall feasibility of PDEs’ implementation as a sensing platform.

  16. Speciation of chromium using chronoamperometric biosensors based on screen-printed electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvo-Pérez, Ana; Domínguez-Renedo, Olga; Alonso-Lomillo, MAsunción; Arcos-Martínez, MJulia

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Chronoamperometric determination of Cr(III) on tyrosinase based biosensors using SPCEs. • Chronoamperometric determination of Cr(VI) on GOx based biosensors using SPCEs. • High degree of sensitivity and selectivity in the analysis of both chromium species. • Bipotentiostatic chronoamperometric determination of both chromium species in the same sample. - Abstract: Chronoamperometric assays based on tyrosinase and glucose oxidase (GOx) inactivation have been developed for the monitoring of Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Tyrosinase was immobilized by crosslinking on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) containing tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) as electron transfer mediator. The tyrosinase/SPC TTF E response to pyrocatechol is inhibited by Cr(III). This process, that is not affected by Cr(VI), allows the determination of Cr(III) with a capability of detection of 2.0 ± 0.2 μM and a reproducibility of 5.5%. GOx modified screen-printed carbon platinised electrodes (SPC Pt Es) were developed for the selective determination of Cr(VI) using ferricyanide as redox mediator. The biosensor was able to discriminate two different oxidation states of chromium being able to reject Cr(III) and to detect the toxic species Cr(VI). Chronoamperometric response of the biosensor towards glucose decreases with the presence of Cr(VI), with a capability of detection of 90.5 ± 7.6 nM and a reproducibility of 6.2%. A bipotentiostatic chronoamperometric biosensor was finally developed using a tyrosinase/SPC TTF E and a GOx/SPC Pt E connected in array mode for the simultaneous determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in spiked tap water and in waste water from a tannery factory samples

  17. Speciation of chromium using chronoamperometric biosensors based on screen-printed electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvo-Pérez, Ana, E-mail: anacp@ubu.es; Domínguez-Renedo, Olga, E-mail: olgado@ubu.es; Alonso-Lomillo, MAsunción, E-mail: malomillo@ubu.es; Arcos-Martínez, MJulia, E-mail: jarcos@ubu.es

    2014-06-23

    Highlights: • Chronoamperometric determination of Cr(III) on tyrosinase based biosensors using SPCEs. • Chronoamperometric determination of Cr(VI) on GOx based biosensors using SPCEs. • High degree of sensitivity and selectivity in the analysis of both chromium species. • Bipotentiostatic chronoamperometric determination of both chromium species in the same sample. - Abstract: Chronoamperometric assays based on tyrosinase and glucose oxidase (GOx) inactivation have been developed for the monitoring of Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Tyrosinase was immobilized by crosslinking on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) containing tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) as electron transfer mediator. The tyrosinase/SPC{sub TTF}E response to pyrocatechol is inhibited by Cr(III). This process, that is not affected by Cr(VI), allows the determination of Cr(III) with a capability of detection of 2.0 ± 0.2 μM and a reproducibility of 5.5%. GOx modified screen-printed carbon platinised electrodes (SPC{sub Pt}Es) were developed for the selective determination of Cr(VI) using ferricyanide as redox mediator. The biosensor was able to discriminate two different oxidation states of chromium being able to reject Cr(III) and to detect the toxic species Cr(VI). Chronoamperometric response of the biosensor towards glucose decreases with the presence of Cr(VI), with a capability of detection of 90.5 ± 7.6 nM and a reproducibility of 6.2%. A bipotentiostatic chronoamperometric biosensor was finally developed using a tyrosinase/SPC{sub TTF}E and a GOx/SPC{sub Pt}E connected in array mode for the simultaneous determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in spiked tap water and in waste water from a tannery factory samples.

  18. Electrochemical Affinity Biosensors Based on Disposable Screen-Printed Electrodes for Detection of Food Allergens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilescu, Alina; Nunes, Gilvanda; Hayat, Akhtar; Latif, Usman; Marty, Jean-Louis

    2016-01-01

    Food allergens are proteins from nuts and tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, eggs or milk which trigger severe adverse reactions in the human body, involving IgE-type antibodies. Sensitive detection of allergens in a large variety of food matrices has become increasingly important considering the emergence of functional foods and new food manufacturing technologies. For example, proteins such as casein from milk or lysozyme and ovalbumin from eggs are sometimes used as fining agents in the wine industry. Nonetheless, allergen detection in processed foods is a challenging endeavor, as allergen proteins are degraded during food processing steps involving heating or fermentation. Detection of food allergens was primarily achieved via Enzyme-Linked Immuno Assay (ELISA) or by chromatographic methods. With the advent of biosensors, electrochemical affinity-based biosensors such as those incorporating antibodies and aptamers as biorecognition elements were also reported in the literature. In this review paper, we highlight the success achieved in the design of electrochemical affinity biosensors based on disposable screen-printed electrodes towards detection of protein allergens. We will discuss the analytical figures of merit for various disposable screen-printed affinity sensors in relation to methodologies employed for immobilization of bioreceptors on transducer surface. PMID:27827963

  19. Microstructure and thermoelectric properties of screen-printed thick-films of misfit-layered cobalt oxides with Ag addition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Van Nong, Ngo; Samson, Alfred Junio; Pryds, Nini

    2012-01-01

    Thermoelectric properties of thick (~60 μm) films prepared by a screen-printing technique using p-type misfit-layered cobalt oxide Ca3Co4O9+δ with Ag addition have been studied. The screen-printed films were sintered in air at various temperatures ranging from 973 K to 1223 K. After each sintering...... process, crystal and microstructure analyses were carried out to determine the optimal sintering condition. The results show that the thermoelectric properties of pure Ca3Co4O9+δ thick film are comparable to those of cold isostatic pressing (CIP) samples. We found that the maximum power factor...... was improved by about 67% (to 0.3 mW/m K2) for film with proper silver (Ag) metallic inclusions as compared with 0.18 mW/m K2 for pure Ca3Co4O9+δ film under the same sintering condition of 1223 K for 2 h in air....

  20. Printing of polymer microcapsules for enzyme immobilization on paper substrate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savolainen, Anne; Zhang, Yufen; Rochefort, Dominic; Holopainen, Ulla; Erho, Tomi; Virtanen, Jouko; Smolander, Maria

    2011-06-13

    Poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) microcapsules containing laccase from Trametes hirsuta (ThL) and Trametes versicolor (TvL) were printed onto paper substrate by three different methods: screen printing, rod coating, and flexo printing. Microcapsules were fabricated via interfacial polycondensation of PEI with the cross-linker sebacoyl chloride, incorporated into an ink, and printed or coated on the paper substrate. The same ink components were used for three printing methods, and it was found that laccase microcapsules were compatible with the ink. Enzymatic activity of microencapsulated TvL was maintained constant in polymer-based ink for at least eight weeks. Thick layers with high enzymatic activity were obtained when laccase-containing microcapsules were screen printed on paper substrate. Flexo printed bioactive paper showed very low activity, since by using this printing method the paper surface was not fully covered by enzyme microcapsules. Finally, screen printing provided a bioactive paper with high water-resistance and the highest enzyme lifetime.

  1. Disposable Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensors Using Screen-Printed Nickel/Carbon Composites on Indium Tin Oxide Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Won-Yong Jeon

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Disposable screen-printed nickel/carbon composites on indium tin oxide (ITO electrodes (DSPNCE were developed for the detection of glucose without enzymes. The DSPNCE were prepared by screen-printing the ITO substrate with a 50 wt% nickel/carbon composite, followed by curing at 400 °C for 30 min. The redox couple of Ni(OH2/NiOOH was deposited on the surface of the electrodes via cyclic voltammetry (CV, scanning from 0–1.5 V for 30 cycles in 0.1 M NaOH solution. The DSPNCE were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, and electrochemical methods. The resulting electrical currents, measured by CV and chronoamperometry at 0.65 V vs. Ag/AgCl, showed a good linear response with glucose concentrations from 1.0–10 mM. Also, the prepared electrodes showed no interference from common physiologic interferents such as uric acid (UA or ascorbic acid (AA. Therefore, this approach allowed the development of a simple, disposable glucose biosensor.

  2. Effects of Homogenization Scheme of TiO2 Screen-Printing Paste for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seigo Ito

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available TiO2 porous electrodes have been fabricated for photoelectrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs using TiO2 screen-printing paste from nanocrystalline TiO2 powder dried from the synthesized sol. We prepared the TiO2 screen-printing paste by two different methods to disperse the nanocrystalline TiO2 powder: a “ball-milling route” and a “mortal-grinding route.” The TiO2 ball-milling (TiO2-BM route gave monodisperse TiO2 nanoparticles, resulting in high photocurrent density (14.2 mA cm−2 and high photoconversion efficiency (8.27%. On the other hand, the TiO2 mortal-grinding (TiO2-MG route gave large aggregate of TiO2 nanoparticles, resulting in low photocurrent density (11.5 mA cm−2 and low photoconversion efficiency (6.43%. To analyze the photovoltaic characteristics, we measured the incident photon-to-current efficiency, light absorption spectroscopy, and electrical impedance spectroscopy of DSCs.

  3. Disposable Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensors Using Screen-Printed Nickel/Carbon Composites on Indium Tin Oxide Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Won-Yong; Choi, Young-Bong; Kim, Hyug-Han

    2015-12-10

    Disposable screen-printed nickel/carbon composites on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes (DSPNCE) were developed for the detection of glucose without enzymes. The DSPNCE were prepared by screen-printing the ITO substrate with a 50 wt% nickel/carbon composite, followed by curing at 400 °C for 30 min. The redox couple of Ni(OH)₂/NiOOH was deposited on the surface of the electrodes via cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning from 0-1.5 V for 30 cycles in 0.1 M NaOH solution. The DSPNCE were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical methods. The resulting electrical currents, measured by CV and chronoamperometry at 0.65 V vs. Ag/AgCl, showed a good linear response with glucose concentrations from 1.0-10 mM. Also, the prepared electrodes showed no interference from common physiologic interferents such as uric acid (UA) or ascorbic acid (AA). Therefore, this approach allowed the development of a simple, disposable glucose biosensor.

  4. Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes Modified with Cobalt Phthalocyanine for Selective Sulfur Detection in Cosmetic Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Shih

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc films were deposited on the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode using a simple drop coating method. The cyclic voltammogram of the resulting CoPc modified screen-printed electrode (CoPc/SPE prepared under optimum conditions shows a well-behaved redox couple due to the (CoI/CoII system. The CoPc/SPE surface demonstrates excellent electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of sulfur in a 0.01 mol·L−1 NaOH. A linear calibration curve with the detection limit (DL, S/N = 3 of 0.325 mg·L−1 was achieved by CoPc/SPE coupled with flow injection analysis of the sulfur concentration ranging from 4 to 1120 mg·L−1. The precision of the system response was evaluated (3.60% and 3.52% RSD for 12 repeated injections, in the range of 64 and 480 mg·L−1 sulfur. The applicability of the method was successfully demonstrated in a real sample analysis of sulfur in anti-acne creams, and good recovery was obtained. The CoPc/SPE displayed several advantages in sulfur determination including easy fabrication, high stability, and low cost.

  5. A multi-component nanocomposite screen-printed ink with non-linear touch sensitive electrical conductivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, Alexander J; Szablewski, Marek; Bloor, David; Atkinson, Del; Graham, Adam; Laughlin, Paul; Lussey, David

    2013-04-26

    Printable electronics is an innovative area of technology with great commercial potential. Here, a screen-printed functional ink, comprising a combination of semiconducting acicular particles, electrically insulating nanoparticles and a base polymer ink, is described that exhibits pronounced pressure sensitive electrical properties for applications in sensing and touch sensitive surfaces. The combination of these components in the as-printed ink yield a complex structure and a large and reproducible touch pressure sensitive resistance range. In contrast to the case for some composite systems, the resistance changes occur down to applied pressures of 13 Pa. Current-voltage measurements at fixed pressures show monotonic non-linear behaviour, which becomes more Ohmic at higher pressures and in all cases shows some hysteresis. The physical basis for conduction, particularly in the low pressure regime, can be described in terms of field assisted quantum mechanical tunnelling.

  6. A multi-component nanocomposite screen-printed ink with non-linear touch sensitive electrical conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webb, Alexander J; Szablewski, Marek; Bloor, David; Atkinson, Del; Graham, Adam; Laughlin, Paul; Lussey, David

    2013-01-01

    Printable electronics is an innovative area of technology with great commercial potential. Here, a screen-printed functional ink, comprising a combination of semiconducting acicular particles, electrically insulating nanoparticles and a base polymer ink, is described that exhibits pronounced pressure sensitive electrical properties for applications in sensing and touch sensitive surfaces. The combination of these components in the as-printed ink yield a complex structure and a large and reproducible touch pressure sensitive resistance range. In contrast to the case for some composite systems, the resistance changes occur down to applied pressures of 13 Pa. Current–voltage measurements at fixed pressures show monotonic non-linear behaviour, which becomes more Ohmic at higher pressures and in all cases shows some hysteresis. The physical basis for conduction, particularly in the low pressure regime, can be described in terms of field assisted quantum mechanical tunnelling. (paper)

  7. A multi-component nanocomposite screen-printed ink with non-linear touch sensitive electrical conductivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, Alexander J.; Szablewski, Marek; Bloor, David; Atkinson, Del; Graham, Adam; Laughlin, Paul; Lussey, David

    2013-04-01

    Printable electronics is an innovative area of technology with great commercial potential. Here, a screen-printed functional ink, comprising a combination of semiconducting acicular particles, electrically insulating nanoparticles and a base polymer ink, is described that exhibits pronounced pressure sensitive electrical properties for applications in sensing and touch sensitive surfaces. The combination of these components in the as-printed ink yield a complex structure and a large and reproducible touch pressure sensitive resistance range. In contrast to the case for some composite systems, the resistance changes occur down to applied pressures of 13 Pa. Current-voltage measurements at fixed pressures show monotonic non-linear behaviour, which becomes more Ohmic at higher pressures and in all cases shows some hysteresis. The physical basis for conduction, particularly in the low pressure regime, can be described in terms of field assisted quantum mechanical tunnelling.

  8. Functional screen printed radio frequency identification tags on flexible substrates, facilitating low-cost and integrated point-of-care diagnostics

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Smith, Suzanne

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available This work explores the practical functionality of ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags screen printed onto various low-cost, flexible substrates. The need for integrated and automated low-cost point...

  9. Dispenser printed electroluminescent lamps on textiles for smart fabric applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vos, Marc; Torah, Russel; Tudor, John

    2016-04-01

    Flexible electroluminescent (EL) lamps are fabricated onto woven textiles using a novel dispenser printing process. Dispenser printing utilizes pressurized air to deposit ink onto a substrate through a syringe and nozzle. This work demonstrates the first use of this technology to fabricate EL lamps. The luminance of the dispenser printed EL lamps is compared to screen-printed EL lamps, both printed on textile, and also commercial EL lamps on polyurethane film. The dispenser printed lamps are shown to have a 1.5 times higher luminance than the best performing commercially available lamp, and have a comparable performance to the screen-printed lamps.

  10. Dispenser printed electroluminescent lamps on textiles for smart fabric applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Vos, Marc; Torah, Russel; Tudor, John

    2016-01-01

    Flexible electroluminescent (EL) lamps are fabricated onto woven textiles using a novel dispenser printing process. Dispenser printing utilizes pressurized air to deposit ink onto a substrate through a syringe and nozzle. This work demonstrates the first use of this technology to fabricate EL lamps. The luminance of the dispenser printed EL lamps is compared to screen-printed EL lamps, both printed on textile, and also commercial EL lamps on polyurethane film. The dispenser printed lamps are shown to have a 1.5 times higher luminance than the best performing commercially available lamp, and have a comparable performance to the screen-printed lamps. (paper)

  11. A facile electrochemical intercalation and microwave assisted exfoliation methodology applied to screen-printed electrochemical-based sensing platforms to impart improved electroanalytical outputs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierini, Gastón D; Foster, Christopher W; Rowley-Neale, Samuel J; Fernández, Héctor; Banks, Craig E

    2018-06-12

    Screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are ubiquitous with the field of electrochemistry allowing researchers to translate sensors from the laboratory to the field. In this paper, we report an electrochemically driven intercalation process where an electrochemical reaction uses an electrolyte as a conductive medium as well as the intercalation source, which is followed by exfoliation and heating/drying via microwave irradiation, and applied to the working electrode of screen-printed electrodes/sensors (termed EDI-SPEs) for the first time. This novel methodology results in an increase of up to 85% of the sensor area (electrochemically active surface area, as evaluated using an outer-sphere redox probe). Upon further investigation, it is found that an increase in the electroactive area of the EDI-screen-printed based electrochemical sensing platforms is critically dependent upon the analyte and its associated electrochemical mechanism (i.e. adsorption vs. diffusion). Proof-of-concept for the electrochemical sensing of capsaicin, a measure of the hotness of chillies and chilli sauce, within both model aqueous solutions and a real sample (Tabasco sauce) is demonstrated in which the electroanalytical sensitivity (a plot of signal vs. concentration) is doubled when utilising EDI-SPEs over that of SPEs.

  12. Electrochemical study and flow injection analysis of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations based on screen-printed electrodes and carbon nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo [DropSens, S.L., Edificio Severo Ochoa, Campus El Cristo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias (Spain); Lamas-Ardisana, Pedro Jose [Departamento de Quimica Fisica y Analitica, Universidad de Oviedo, Julian Claveria 8, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias (Spain); Hernandez-Santos, David [DropSens, S.L., Edificio Severo Ochoa, Campus El Cristo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias (Spain); Costa-Garcia, Agustin, E-mail: costa@fq.uniovi.es [Departamento de Quimica Fisica y Analitica, Universidad de Oviedo, Julian Claveria 8, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias (Spain)

    2009-04-13

    Acetaminophenol or paracetamol is one of the most commonly used analgesics in pharmaceutical formulations. Acetaminophen is electroactive and voltammetric mechanistic studies for the electrode processes of the acetaminophenol/N-acetyl-p-quinoneimine redox system are presented. Carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrodes with enhanced electron transfer properties are used for the study of the electrochemical-chemical oxidation mechanism of paracetamol at pH 2.0. Quantitative analysis of paracetamol by using its oxidation process (in a Britton-Robinson buffer solution pH 10.0) at +0.20 V (vs. an Ag pseudoreference electrode) on an untreated screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was carried out. Thus, a cyclic voltammetric based reproducible determination of acetaminophen (R.S.D., 2.2%) in the range 2.5 x 10{sup -6} M to 1 x 10{sup -3} M, was obtained. However, when SPCEs are used as amperometric detectors coupled to a flow injection analysis (FIA) system, the detection limit achieved for paracetamol was 1 x 10{sup -7} M, one order of magnitude lower than that obtained by voltammetric analysis. The repeatability of the amperometric detection with the same SPCE is 2% for 15 successive injections of 10{sup -5} M acetaminophen and do not present any memory effect. Finally, the applicability of using screen-printed carbon electrodes for the electrochemical detection of paracetamol (i.e. for quality control analysis) was demonstrated by using two commercial pharmaceutical products.

  13. The ALU+ concept: n-type silicon solar cells with surface passivated screen-printed aluminum-alloyed rear emitter

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bock, R.; Schmidt, J.; Mau, S.; Hoex, B.; Kessels, W.M.M.; Brendel, R.

    2009-01-01

    Aluminum-doped p-type (Al-p+) silicon emitters fabricated by means of screen-printing and firing are effectively passivated by plasma-enhanced chemicalvapor deposited (PECVD) amorphous silicon (a-Si) and atomic-layer-deposited (ALD) aluminum oxide (Al2O3) as well as Al2O3/SiNx stacks, where the

  14. Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with “Green” Metals for Electrochemical Stripping Analysis of Toxic Elements

    OpenAIRE

    Anastasios Economou

    2018-01-01

    This work reviews the field of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) modified with “green” metals for electrochemical stripping analysis of toxic elements. Electrochemical stripping analysis has been established as a useful trace analysis technique offering many advantages compared to competing optical techniques. Although mercury has been the preferred electrode material for stripping analysis, the toxicity of mercury and the associated legal requirements in its use and disposal have ...

  15. Printed photodetectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pace, Giuseppina; Grimoldi, Andrea; Sampietro, Marco; Natali, Dario; Caironi, Mario

    2015-01-01

    Photodetectors convert light pulses into electrical signals and are fundamental building blocks for any opto-electronic system adopting light as a probe or information carrier. They have widespread technological applications, from telecommunications to sensors in industrial, medical and civil environments. Further opportunities are plastic short-range communications systems, interactive large-area surfaces and light-weight, flexible, digital imagers. These applications would greatly benefit from the cost-effective fabrication processes enabled by printing technology. While organic semiconductors are the most investigated materials for printed photodetectors, and are the main focus of the present review, there are notable examples of other inorganic or hybrid printable semiconductors for opto-electronic systems, such as quantum-dots and nanowires. Here we propose an overview on printed photodetectors, including three-terminal phototransistors. We first give a brief account of the working mechanism of these light sensitive devices, and then we review the recent progress achieved with scalable printing techniques such as screen-printing, inkjet and other non-contact technologies in the development of all-printed or hybrid systems. (paper)

  16. Printed photodetectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pace, Giuseppina; Grimoldi, Andrea; Sampietro, Marco; Natali, Dario; Caironi, Mario

    2015-10-01

    Photodetectors convert light pulses into electrical signals and are fundamental building blocks for any opto-electronic system adopting light as a probe or information carrier. They have widespread technological applications, from telecommunications to sensors in industrial, medical and civil environments. Further opportunities are plastic short-range communications systems, interactive large-area surfaces and light-weight, flexible, digital imagers. These applications would greatly benefit from the cost-effective fabrication processes enabled by printing technology. While organic semiconductors are the most investigated materials for printed photodetectors, and are the main focus of the present review, there are notable examples of other inorganic or hybrid printable semiconductors for opto-electronic systems, such as quantum-dots and nanowires. Here we propose an overview on printed photodetectors, including three-terminal phototransistors. We first give a brief account of the working mechanism of these light sensitive devices, and then we review the recent progress achieved with scalable printing techniques such as screen-printing, inkjet and other non-contact technologies in the development of all-printed or hybrid systems.

  17. Screen-printed carbon electrode modified on its surface with amorphous carbon nitride thin film: Electrochemical and morphological study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghamouss, F. [Universite de Nantes, UMR 6006-CNRS, FR-2465-CNRS, Laboratoire d' Analyse isotopique et Electrochimique de Metabolismes (LAIEM) (France); Tessier, P.-Y. [Universite de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel - IMN Faculte des Sciences and des Techniques de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Djouadi, A. [Universite de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel - IMN Faculte des Sciences and des Techniques de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Besland, M.-P. [Universite de Nantes, UMR CNRS 6502, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel - IMN Faculte des Sciences and des Techniques de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Boujtita, M. [Universite de Nantes, UMR 6006-CNRS, FR-2465-CNRS, Laboratoire d' Analyse isotopique et Electrochimique de Metabolismes (LAIEM) (France)]. E-mail: mohammed.boujtita@univ-nantes.fr

    2007-04-20

    The surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was modified by using amorphous carbon nitride (a-CN {sub x}) thin film deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. Scanning electron microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy measurements were used to characterise respectively the morphology and the chemical structure of the a-CN {sub x} modified electrodes. The incorporation of nitrogen in the amorphous carbon network was demonstrated by X ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The a-CN {sub x} layers were deposited on both carbon screen-printed electrode (SPCE) and silicon (Si) substrates. A comparative study showed that the nature of substrate, i.e. SPCE and Si, has a significant effect on both the surface morphology of deposited a-CN {sub x} film and their electrochemical properties. The improvement of the electrochemical reactivity of SPCE after a-CN {sub x} film deposition was highlighted both by comparing the shapes of voltammograms and calculating the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant.

  18. Some Thoughts on Contemporary Graphic Print

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Skiba

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The production requirements of original graphic works of art have changed since 1980. The development of digital printing using lightfast colors now rivals traditional techniques such as wood cut, screen print, lithography, etching etc. Today, with respect to artistic legitimacy, original graphics using traditional printing techniques compete with original graphics produced by digital printing techniques on the art market. What criteria distinguish traditional printing techniques from those of digital printing in the production and acquisition of original graphics? What consequences is the serious artist faced with when deciding to implement digital print production? How does digital print change original graphic acquisition decisions?

  19. Fabrication and characterization of all-covalent nanocomposite functionalized screen-printed voltammetric sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jasmin, Jean-Philippe; Cannizzo, Caroline; Dumas, Eddy; Chaussé, Annie

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Screen printed electrodes were covalently functionalized by gold nanoparticles. • The covalent grafting of AuNPs was achieved via diazonium salt chemistry. • Two grafting methods and two types of AuNPs were compared. • Carboxylate ligands were grafted on these nanostructured electrodes. • Good preliminary responses towards lead analysis were obtained by SW-ASV. - Abstract: We report in this paper an all-covalent method to obtain highly nanostructured carbon screen printed electrodes (SPEs) bearing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized by complexing groups using diazonium salts chemistry. SPEs were first modified with 4-aminophenyl functions (SPE-Ph-NH 2 ). The amino moieties were then converted into diazonium salts (SPE-Ph-N 2 + Cl − ). These reactive SPEs were then used to immobilize AuNPs by electrochemical or spontaneous method. The spontaneous method proved to be a more efficient grafting approach. Two types of AuNPs suspensions were compared: AuNPs obtained via the well-known Turkevich method, citrate-stabilized and having a diameter of about 20 nm, and AuNPs obtained by the method recently described by Eah et al., stabilizer-free with an average diameter of 4 nm. We show that the size of the Au-NPs, their concentration and their surface properties are key parameters that affect the electrochemical properties of the final nanostructured SPEs. The covalent grafting of 4-carboxyphenyl ligands through diazonium chemistry, able to complex metallic cations, at the surface of SPE-Ph-AuNPs allowed their use for the detection of Pb(II). Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Rutherford Backscattering and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were used to characterize these nanostructured materials

  20. A disposable electrochemical immunosensor arrays using 4-channel screen-printed carbon electrode for simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Enterobacter sakazakii

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dou, Wenchao; Tang, Weilu; Zhao, Guangying

    2013-01-01

    An electrochemical immunosensor for Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) and Enterobacter sakazakii (E. sakazakii) detection using carbon screen-printed low-density arrays is reported. The sensors were fabricated based on screen-printed carbon arrays containing four carbon working electrode, an integrated carbon counter electrodes and an integrated Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/sodium alginate (SA)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) composite films were coated on all the working electrodes to enhance the sensitization of the electrode. Horseradish peroxidases (HRP) labeled antibodies of two bacteria were immobilize on different working electrode of the same screen-printed electrode respectively. The immobilization of MWCNTs, HRP labeled antibodies onto the screen-printed carbon electrodes was examined using atom force microscopy (AFM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The analytical performance of proposed immunosensor arrays toward E. sakazakii and E. coli O157:H7 was investigated by AFM and CV. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of E. sakazakii and E. coli O157:H7 were from 10 4 to 10 10 cfu/ml, with a detection limit of 4.57 × 10 3 cfu/ml (S/N = 3) and 3.27 × 10 3 cfu/ml (S/N = 3), respectively. The specificity, reproducibility, stability and accuracy of the proposed immunosensor arrays were also evaluated. Two antibodies modified work electrodes were tested and compared in terms of sensitivity and ability to recognize different pathogenic biological species

  1. Screen-printed electrodes made of a bismuth nanoparticle porous carbon nanocomposite applied to the determination of heavy metal ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niu, Pengfei; Gich, Martí; Roig, Anna; Fernández-Sánchez, César; Navarro- Hernández, Carla; Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo

    2016-01-01

    This work reports on the simplified fabrication and on the characterization of bismuth-based screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) for use in heavy metal detection. A nanocomposite consisting of bismuth nanoparticles and amorphous carbon was synthesized by a combined one-step sol-gel and pyrolysis process and milled down to a specific particle size distribution as required for the preparation of an ink formulation to be used in screen printing. The resulting electrochemical devices were applied to the detection of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions in water samples. The porous structure of carbon and the high surface area of the bismuth nanoparticles allow for the detection of Pb(II) and Cd(II) at concentration levels below 4 ppb. The application of the SPEs was demonstrated by quantifying these ions in tap drinking water and wastewater collected from an influent of an urban wastewater treatment plant. (author)

  2. Screen-printed electro grafted electrode for trace uranium analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Betelu, St.; Vautrin-Ui, Ch.; Chausse, A. [Univ Evry Val Essonne, LAMBE, CNRS CEA, UMR 8587, F-91025 Evry, (France); Ly, J. [CEA, L3MR, Ctr Etud Saclay, DEN DANS DPC SECR, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France)

    2009-07-01

    This paper reports the interest of the novel 4-carboxyphenyl-grafted screen-printed electrodes (4-CP-SPEs) for sub-nano-molar analysis of uranium in water samples. Electrodes were easily prepared via electrochemically reduction of the corresponding diazonium salt. The stability of the grafted layer has been clearly demonstrated. Uranium detection was then achieved by immersing the grafted electrode into the sample solution, followed by the electrochemical measurement of adsorbed U(VI) by square wave voltammetry. Adsorption time was investigated so as to find the best compromise between analysis time, repeatability and reproducibility. Limit of detection and quantitation reached 7 * 10{sup -10} and 2 * 10{sup -9} mol L{sup -1} respectively. Moreover, interference study was conducted with Zn(II), Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II); no major interference was established. 4-CP-SPEs were finally applied for uranium determination in estuarine water demonstrating the convenience of these electrodes for environmental analysis. (authors)

  3. Printable Electrochemical Biosensors: A Focus on Screen-Printed Electrodes and Their Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keiichiro Yamanaka

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In this review we present electrochemical biosensor developments, focusing on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs and their applications. In particular, we discuss how SPEs enable simple integration, and the portability needed for on-field applications. First, we briefly discuss the general concept of biosensors and quickly move on to electrochemical biosensors. Drawing from research undertaken in this area, we cover the development of electrochemical DNA biosensors in great detail. Through specific examples, we describe the fabrication and surface modification of printed electrodes for sensitive and selective detection of targeted DNA sequences, as well as integration with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. For a more rounded approach, we also touch on electrochemical immunosensors and enzyme-based biosensors. Last, we present some electrochemical devices specifically developed for use with SPEs, including USB-powered compact mini potentiostat. The coupling demonstrates the practical use of printable electrode technologies for application at point-of-use. Although tremendous advances have indeed been made in this area, a few challenges remain. One of the main challenges is application of these technologies for on-field analysis, which involves complicated sample matrices.

  4. The development of a web- and a print-based decision aid for prostate cancer screening

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schwartz Marc D

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Whether early detection and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa will reduce disease-related mortality remains uncertain. As a result, tools are needed to facilitate informed decision making. While there have been several decision aids (DAs developed and tested, very few have included an exercise to help men clarify their values and preferences about PCa screening. Further, only one DA has utilized an interactive web-based format, which allows for an expansion and customization of the material. We describe the development of two DAs, a booklet and an interactive website, each with a values clarification component and designed for use in diverse settings. Methods We conducted two feasibility studies to assess men's (45-70 years Internet access and their willingness to use a web- vs. a print-based tool. The booklet was adapted from two previous versions evaluated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs and the website was created to closely match the content of the revised booklet. Usability testing was conducted to obtain feedback regarding draft versions of the materials. The tools were also reviewed by a plain language expert and the interdisciplinary research team. Feedback on the content and presentation led to iterative modifications of the tools. Results The feasibility studies confirmed that the Internet was a viable medium, as the majority of men used a computer, had access to the Internet, and Internet use increased over time. Feedback from the usability testing on the length, presentation, and content of the materials was incorporated into the final versions of the booklet and website. Both the feasibility studies and the usability testing highlighted the need to address men's informed decision making regarding screening. Conclusions Informed decision making for PCa screening is crucial at present and may be important for some time, particularly if a definitive recommendation either for or against screening does not

  5. Marked Object Recognition Multitouch Screen Printed Touchpad for Interactive Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes, Jivago Serrado; Castro, Nelson; Gonçalves, Sergio; Pereira, Nélson; Correia, Vitor; Lanceros-Mendez, Senentxu

    2017-12-01

    The market for interactive platforms is rapidly growing, and touchscreens have been incorporated in an increasing number of devices. Thus, the area of smart objects and devices is strongly increasing by adding interactive touch and multimedia content, leading to new uses and capabilities. In this work, a flexible screen printed sensor matrix is fabricated based on silver ink in a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. Diamond shaped capacitive electrodes coupled with conventional capacitive reading electronics enables fabrication of a highly functional capacitive touchpad, and also allows for the identification of marked objects. For the latter, the capacitive signatures are identified by intersecting points and distances between them. Thus, this work demonstrates the applicability of a low cost method using royalty-free geometries and technologies for the development of flexible multitouch touchpads for the implementation of interactive and object recognition applications.

  6. Marked Object Recognition Multitouch Screen Printed Touchpad for Interactive Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jivago Serrado Nunes

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The market for interactive platforms is rapidly growing, and touchscreens have been incorporated in an increasing number of devices. Thus, the area of smart objects and devices is strongly increasing by adding interactive touch and multimedia content, leading to new uses and capabilities. In this work, a flexible screen printed sensor matrix is fabricated based on silver ink in a polyethylene terephthalate (PET substrate. Diamond shaped capacitive electrodes coupled with conventional capacitive reading electronics enables fabrication of a highly functional capacitive touchpad, and also allows for the identification of marked objects. For the latter, the capacitive signatures are identified by intersecting points and distances between them. Thus, this work demonstrates the applicability of a low cost method using royalty-free geometries and technologies for the development of flexible multitouch touchpads for the implementation of interactive and object recognition applications.

  7. Carbon Black-Modified Electrodes Screen-Printed onto Paper Towel, Waxed Paper and Parafilm M®.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cinti, Stefano; Mazzaracchio, Vincenzo; Cacciotti, Ilaria; Moscone, Danila; Arduini, Fabiana

    2017-10-03

    Herein, we evaluated the use of paper towel, waxed paper, and Parafilm M ® (Heathrow Scientific, Vernon Hills, IL, USA) as alternative substrates for screen-printed sensor manufacturing. Morphological study was performed to evaluate the adhesion of the ink on these uncommon substrates, as well as the morphology of the working electrode. The electrochemical characterization was carried out using ferricyanide/ferrocyanide as redox couple. To enhance the electrochemical properties of the developed sensors, the nanomaterial carbon black was used as nanomodifier. The modification by drop casting of the working electrode surface, using a stable dispersion of carbon black, allows to obtain a sensor with improved electrochemical behavior in terms of peak-to-peak separation, current intensity, and the resistance of charge transfer. The results achieved confirm the possibility of printing the electrode on several cost-effective paper-based materials and the improvement of the electrochemical behavior by using carbon black as sustainable nanomaterial.

  8. Carbon Black-Modified Electrodes Screen-Printed onto Paper Towel, Waxed Paper and Parafilm M®

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Cinti

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Herein, we evaluated the use of paper towel, waxed paper, and Parafilm M® (Heathrow Scientific, Vernon Hills, IL, USA as alternative substrates for screen-printed sensor manufacturing. Morphological study was performed to evaluate the adhesion of the ink on these uncommon substrates, as well as the morphology of the working electrode. The electrochemical characterization was carried out using ferricyanide/ferrocyanide as redox couple. To enhance the electrochemical properties of the developed sensors, the nanomaterial carbon black was used as nanomodifier. The modification by drop casting of the working electrode surface, using a stable dispersion of carbon black, allows to obtain a sensor with improved electrochemical behavior in terms of peak-to-peak separation, current intensity, and the resistance of charge transfer. The results achieved confirm the possibility of printing the electrode on several cost-effective paper-based materials and the improvement of the electrochemical behavior by using carbon black as sustainable nanomaterial.

  9. A new photoelectric ink based on nanocellulose/CdS quantum dots for screen-printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Aimin; Liu, Yuan; Wang, Qinwen; Chen, Ruisong; Liu, Wangyu; Fang, Zhiqiang; Wang, Lishi

    2016-09-05

    CdS quantum dots with excellent photoelectrical properties embedded in nanocellulose could be exploited for use in photoelectrical ink. In this work, nanocellulose/CdS quantum dot composites were fabricated by controlling the carboxylate content of the nanocellulose and the molar ratio of Cd(2+)/-COOH. New photoelectric inks were prepared based on the composites, in which the CdS quantum dots acted as the pigment and the nanocellulose as the binder. The results of the photocurrent of the composites showed that the photocurrent could be tailored by the carboxylate content and the molar ratio of Cd(2+)/-COOH. And the photocurrent could be as high as 2μA. The surface tension of the photoelectric ink was 27.80±0.03mN/m and its viscosity was 30.3mPas. The photoelectric ink was stable with excellent fluidity and rheology, it could therefore be applied to screen-printing and three-dimensional (3D) printing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Influence of Parameters of a Printing Plate on Photoluminescence of Nanophotonic Printed Elements of Novel Packaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olha Sarapulova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to produce nanophotonic elements for smart packaging, we investigated the influence of the parameters of screen and offset gravure printing plates on features of printed application of coatings with nanophotonic components and on parameters of their photoluminescence. To determine the dependence of luminescence intensity on the thickness of solid coating, we carried out the formation of nanophotonic solid surfaces by means of screen printing with different layer thickness on polypropylene film. The obtained analytical dependencies were used to confirm the explanation of the processes that occur during the fabrication of nanophotonic coverings with offset gravure printing plates. As a result of experimental studies, it was determined that the different character of the dependency of total luminescence intensity of nanophotonic elements from the percentage of a pad is explained by the use of different types of offset gravure printing plates, where the size of raster points remains constant in one case and changes in the other case, while the depth of the printing elements accordingly changes or remains constant. To obtain nanophotonic areas with predetermined photoluminescent properties, the influence of investigated factors on changes of photoluminescent properties of nanophotonic printed surfaces should be taken into consideration.

  11. Study on Gas Sensing Performance of TiO2 Screen Printed Thick Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. G. DIGHAVKAR

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Titanium dioxide (TiO2 thick films were prepared on alumina substrate by using screen printing technique. After preparation, the films were fired at temperature range 600 -1000 ºC for two hour. Morphological, compositional and structural properties of the film samples were performed by means of several techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS, X-ray diffraction techniques. We explore the various gases to study the sensing performance of the TiO2 thick films. The maximum response was reported to film fired at 800 0C for LPG gas at 350 0C operating temperature.

  12. A sensitive electrochemical immunosensor based on poly(2-aminobenzylamine) film modified screen-printed carbon electrode for label-free detection of human immunoglobulin G.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putnin, Thitirat; Jumpathong, Watthanachai; Laocharoensuk, Rawiwan; Jakmunee, Jaroon; Ounnunkad, Kontad

    2018-08-01

    This work focuses on fabricating poly(2-aminobenzylamine)-modified screen-printed carbon electrode as an electrochemical immunosensor for the label-free detection of human immunoglobulin G. To selectively detect immunoglobulin G, the anti-immunoglobulin G antibody with high affinity to immunoglobulin G was covalently linked with the amine group of poly(2-aminobenzylamine) film-deposited screen-printed carbon electrode. The selectivity for immunoglobulin G was subsequently assured by being challenged with redox-active interferences and adventitious adsorption did not significantly interfere the analyte signal. To obviate the use of costly secondary antibody, the [Fe(CN) 6 ] 4-/3- redox probe was instead applied to measure the number of human immunoglobulin G through the immunocomplex formation that is quantitatively related to the level of the differential pulse voltammetric current. The resulting immunosensor exhibited good sensitivity with the detection limit of 0.15 ng mL -1 , limit of quantitation of 0.50 ng mL -1 and the linear range from 1.0 to 50 ng mL -1 . Given those striking analytical performances and the affordability arising from using cheap screen-printed carbon electrode with label-free detection, the immunosensor serves as a promising model for the next-step development of a diagnostic tool.

  13. Determination of Zinc, Cadmium, Lead, Copper and Silver Using a Carbon Paste Electrode and a Screen Printed Electrode Modified with Chromium(III Oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuzana Koudelkova

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the preparation and electrochemical application of a chromium(III oxide modified carbon paste electrode (Cr-CPE and a screen printed electrode (SPE, made from the same material and optimized for the simple, cheap and sensitive simultaneous determination of zinc, cadmium, lead, copper and the detection of silver ions, is described. The limits of detection and quantification were 25 and 80 µg·L−1 for Zn(II, 3 and 10 µg·L−1 for Cd(II, 3 and 10 µg·L−1 for Pb(II, 3 and 10 µg·L−1 for Cu(II, and 3 and 10 µg·L−1 for Ag(I, respectively. Furthermore, this promising modification was transferred to the screen-printed electrode. The limits of detection for the simultaneous determination of zinc, cadmium, copper and lead on the screen printed electrodes were found to be 350 µg·L−1 for Zn(II, 25 µg·L−1 for Cd(II, 3 µg·L−1 for Pb(II and 3 µg·L−1 for Cu(II. Practical usability for the simultaneous detection of these heavy metal ions by the Cr-CPE was also demonstrated in the analyses of wastewaters.

  14. Determination of Zinc, Cadmium, Lead, Copper and Silver Using a Carbon Paste Electrode and a Screen Printed Electrode Modified with Chromium(III) Oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koudelkova, Zuzana; Syrovy, Tomas; Ambrozova, Pavlina; Moravec, Zdenek; Kubac, Lubomir; Hynek, David; Richtera, Lukas; Adam, Vojtech

    2017-08-09

    In this study, the preparation and electrochemical application of a chromium(III) oxide modified carbon paste electrode (Cr-CPE) and a screen printed electrode (SPE), made from the same material and optimized for the simple, cheap and sensitive simultaneous determination of zinc, cadmium, lead, copper and the detection of silver ions, is described. The limits of detection and quantification were 25 and 80 µg·L -1 for Zn(II), 3 and 10 µg·L -1 for Cd(II), 3 and 10 µg·L -1 for Pb(II), 3 and 10 µg·L -1 for Cu(II), and 3 and 10 µg·L -1 for Ag(I), respectively. Furthermore, this promising modification was transferred to the screen-printed electrode. The limits of detection for the simultaneous determination of zinc, cadmium, copper and lead on the screen printed electrodes were found to be 350 µg·L -1 for Zn(II), 25 µg·L -1 for Cd(II), 3 µg·L -1 for Pb(II) and 3 µg·L -1 for Cu(II). Practical usability for the simultaneous detection of these heavy metal ions by the Cr-CPE was also demonstrated in the analyses of wastewaters.

  15. Cobalt phthalocyanine modified electrodes utilised in electroanalysis: nano-structured modified electrodes vs. bulk modified screen-printed electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Christopher W; Pillay, Jeseelan; Metters, Jonathan P; Banks, Craig E

    2014-11-19

    Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC) compounds have been reported to provide electrocatalytic performances towards a substantial number of analytes. In these configurations, electrodes are typically constructed via drop casting the CoPC onto a supporting electrode substrate, while in other cases the CoPC complex is incorporated within the ink of a screen-printed sensor, providing a one-shot economical and disposable electrode configuration. In this paper we critically compare CoPC modified electrodes prepared by drop casting CoPC nanoparticles (nano-CoPC) onto a range of carbon based electrode substrates with that of CoPC bulk modified screen-printed electrodes in the sensing of the model analytes L-ascorbic acid, oxygen and hydrazine. It is found that no "electrocatalysis" is observed towards L-ascorbic acid using either of these CoPC modified electrode configurations and that the bare underlying carbon electrode is the origin of the obtained voltammetric signal, which gives rise to useful electroanalytical signatures, providing new insights into literature reports where "electrocatalysis" has been reported with no clear control experiments undertaken. On the other hand true electrocatalysis is observed towards hydrazine, where no such voltammetric features are witnessed on the bare underlying electrode substrate.

  16. Influence of Parameters of a Printing Plate on Photoluminescence of Nano photonic Printed Elements of Novel Packaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarapulova, O.; Sherstiuk, V.

    2015-01-01

    In order to produce nano photonic elements for smart packaging, we investigated the influence of the parameters of screen and offset gravure printing plates on features of printed application of coatings with nano photonic components and on parameters of their photoluminescence. To determine the dependence of luminescence intensity on the thickness of solid coating, we carried out the formation of nano photonic solid surfaces by means of screen printing with different layer thickness on polypropylene film. The obtained analytical dependencies were used to confirm the explanation of the processes that occur during the fabrication of nano photonic coverings with offset gravure printing plates. As a result of experimental studies, it was determined that the different character of the dependency of total luminescence intensity of nano photonic elements from the percentage of a pad is explained by the use of different types of offset gravure printing plates, where the size of raster points remains constant in one case and changes in the other case, while the depth of the printing elements accordingly changes or remains constant. To obtain nano photonic areas with predetermined photo luminescent properties, the influence of investigated factors on changes of photo luminescent properties of nano photonic printed surfaces should be taken into consideration

  17. Indirect X-ray Detectors Based on Inkjet-Printed Photodetectors with a Screen-Printed Scintillator Layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Juliana; Correia, Vitor; Sowade, Enrico; Etxebarria, Ikerne; Rodriguez, Raul D; Mitra, Kalyan Y; Baumann, Reinhard R; Lanceros-Mendez, Senentxu

    2018-04-18

    Organic photodetectors (PDs) based on printing technologies will allow to expand the current field of PD applications toward large-area and flexible applications in areas such as medical imaging, security, and quality control, among others. Inkjet printing is a powerful digital tool for the deposition of smart and functional materials on various substrates, allowing the development of electronic devices such as PDs on various substrates. In this work, inkjet-printed PD arrays, based on the organic thin-film transistor architecture, have been developed and applied for the indirect detection of X-ray radiation using a scintillator ink as an X-ray absorber. The >90% increase of the photocurrent of the PDs under X-ray radiation, from about 53 nA without the scintillator film to about 102 nA with the scintillator located on top of the PD, proves the suitability of the developed printed device for X-ray detection applications.

  18. Photooxidation stability of microcapsules in thermochromic prints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirela Rozic

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, photochemical stability of two thermochromic prints was investigated: vegetable oil based offset and UV curing screen printing ink. The obtained preliminary results can be used for further detailed examination of prints stability. It is well known that thermochromic printing inks are very unstabile when exsposed to UV irradiance and this is why they are mainly used for applications that are not directly exposed to sunlight. The results of the study show the heterogeneous nature of photooxidative degradation of thermochromic prints, and the opposite behaviour of photooxidation can be noticed comparing examined prints. Microcapsules in the UV curable screen print by fixation with polar polymer binder can create a new products stable to photoxidation. For this reason, the areas where the microcapsules and binder are bonded together are stable. Degraded only areas where binder is not related to microcapsules. Microcapsules in offset print do not have the ability to create new stabile forms due to smaller polarity and different chemical composition of the offset oxidized binder. In the offset print, the microcapsules are the least photooxidative stable and also cause lower photooxidative stability of the binder in contact with them. Cavities are formed in the areas where microcapsules are in contact with the binder, while the areas in which the binder is not in contact with microcapsules are not degraded.

  19. Properties of screen printed electrocardiography smartware electrodes investigated in an electro-chemical cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rattfält, Linda; Björefors, Fredrik; Nilsson, David; Wang, Xin; Norberg, Petronella; Ask, Per

    2013-07-05

    ECG (Electrocardiogram) measurements in home health care demands new sensor solutions. In this study, six different configurations of screen printed conductive ink electrodes have been evaluated with respect to electrode potential variations and electrode impedance. The electrode surfaces consisted of a Ag/AgCl-based ink with a conduction line of carbon or Ag-based ink underneath. On top, a lacquer layer was used to define the electrode area and to cover the conduction lines. Measurements were performed under well-defined electro-chemical conditions in a physiologic saline solution. The results showed that all printed electrodes were stable and have a very small potential drift (less than 3 mV/30 min). The contribution to the total impedance was 2% of the set maximal allowed impedance (maximally 1 kΩ at 50 Hz), assuming common values of input impedance and common mode rejection ratio of a regular amplifier. Our conclusions are that the tested electrodes show satisfying properties to be used as elements in a skin electrode design that could be suitable for further investigations by applying the electrodes on the skin.

  20. Roll-to-Roll Screen Printed Radio Frequency Identification Transponder Antennas for Vehicle Tracking Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zichner, Ralf; Baumann, Reinhard R.

    2013-05-01

    Vehicle tracking systems based on ultra high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) technology are already introduced to control the access to car parks and corporate premises. For this field of application so-called Windshield RFID transponder labels are used, which are applied to the inside of the windshield. State of the art for manufacturing these transponder antennas is the traditional lithography/etching approach. Furthermore the performance of these transponders is limited to a reading distance of approximately 5 m which results in car speed limit of 5 km/h for identification. However, to achieve improved performance compared to existing all-purpose transponders and a dramatic cost reduction, an optimized antenna design is needed which takes into account the special dielectric and in particular metallic car environment of the tag and an roll-to-roll (R2R) printing manufacturing process. In this paper we focus on the development of a customized UHF RFID transponder antenna design, which is adopted for vehicle geometry as well as R2R screen printing manufacturing processes.

  1. Mod silver metallization: Screen printing and ink-jet printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vest, R. W.; Vest, G. M.

    1985-01-01

    Basic material efforts have proven to be very successful. Adherent and conductive films were achieved. A silver neodecanoate/bismuth 2-ethylhexanoate mixture has given the best results in both single and double layer applications. Another effort is continuing to examine the feasibility of applying metallo-organic deposition films by use of an ink jet printer. Direct line writing would result in a saving of process time and materials. So far, some well defined lines have been printed.

  2. Identification of Novel "Inks" for 3D Printing Using High-Throughput Screening: Bioresorbable Photocurable Polymers for Controlled Drug Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louzao, Iria; Koch, Britta; Taresco, Vincenzo; Ruiz-Cantu, Laura; Irvine, Derek J; Roberts, Clive J; Tuck, Christopher; Alexander, Cameron; Hague, Richard; Wildman, Ricky; Alexander, Morgan R

    2018-02-28

    A robust methodology is presented to identify novel biomaterials suitable for three-dimensional (3D) printing. Currently, the application of additive manufacturing is limited by the availability of functional inks, especially in the area of biomaterials; this is the first time when this method is used to tackle this problem, allowing hundreds of formulations to be readily assessed. Several functional properties, including the release of an antidepressive drug (paroxetine), cytotoxicity, and printability, are screened for 253 new ink formulations in a high-throughput format as well as mechanical properties. The selected candidates with the desirable properties are successfully scaled up using 3D printing into a range of object architectures. A full drug release study and degradability and tensile modulus experiments are presented on a simple architecture to validating the suitability of this methodology to identify printable inks for 3D printing devices with bespoke properties.

  3. Organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes: Application to on-site monitoring of liquid fuels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Eduardo S; Silva, Luiz A J; Sousa, Raquel M F; Richter, Eduardo M; Foster, Christopher W; Banks, Craig E; Munoz, Rodrigo A A

    2016-08-31

    This work presents the potential application of organic-resistant screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGEs) for fuel analysis. The required analysis of the antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (2,6-DTBP) in biodiesel and jet fuel is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept. The screen-printing of graphite, Ag/AgCl and insulator inks on a polyester substrate (250 μm thickness) resulted in SPGEs highly compatible with liquid fuels. SPGEs were placed on a batch-injection analysis (BIA) cell, which was filled with a hydroethanolic solution containing 99% v/v ethanol and 0.1 mol L(-1) HClO4 (electrolyte). An electronic micropipette was connected to the cell to perform injections (100 μL) of sample or standard solutions. Over 200 injections can be injected continuously without replacing electrolyte and SPGE strip. Amperometric detection (+1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl) of 2,6-DTBP provided fast (around 8 s) and precise (RSD = 0.7%, n = 12) determinations using an external calibration curve. The method was applied for the analysis of biodiesel and aviation jet fuel samples and comparable results with liquid and gas chromatographic analyses, typically required for biodiesel and jet fuel samples, were obtained. Hence, these SPGE strips are completely compatible with organic samples and their combination with the BIA cell shows great promise for routine and portable analysis of fuels and other organic liquid samples without requiring sophisticated sample treatments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Screen-printed electrodes for environmental monitoring of heavy metal ions: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barton, John; González García, María Begoña; Hernández Santos, David; Fanjul-Bolado, Pablo; Ribotti, Alberto; Magni, Paolo; McCaul, Margaret; Diamond, Dermot

    2016-01-01

    Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, zinc and copper are among the most important pollutants because of their non-biodegradability and toxicity above certain thresholds. Here, we review methods for sensing heavy metal ions (HMI) in water samples using screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) as transducers. The review (with 107 refs.) starts with an introduction into the topic, and this is followed by sections on (a) mercury-coated SPEs, (b) bismuth-coated SPEs, (c) gold-coated SPEs (d) chemically modified and non-modified carbon SPEs, (e) enzyme inhibition-based SPEs, and (f) an overview of commercially available electrochemical portable heavy metal analyzers. The review reveals the significance of SPEs in terms of decentralized and of in situ analysis of heavy metal ions in environmental monitoring. (author)

  5. Print2Screen Mobile App: Embedding Multimedia in Printed ODL Course Materials Using QR Codes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abeywardena, Ishan Sudeera

    2017-01-01

    With the rise of OER and multimedia such as YouTube videos, many academic institutions are becoming mindful of the richness they bring into the teaching and learning process. Given that multimedia resources cannot be directly integrated into printed material, the only available alternative is to print hyperlinks, which teachers and learners can…

  6. Comparison between mixed and spatially separated remote phosphor fabricated via a screen-printing process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Byung-Ho; Hwang, Jonghee; Lee, Young Jin; Kim, Jin-Ho; Jeon, Dae-Woo; Lee, Mi Jai

    2016-08-01

    We developed a fabrication method for remote phosphor by a screen-printing process, using green phosphor, red phosphor, and thermally stable glass frit. The glass frit was introduced for long-term stability. The optical properties of the remote phosphor were observed via an integrating sphere; the photoluminescence spectrum dramatically changed on incorporating a minor amount of the red phosphor. These unique optical properties were elucidated using four factors: phosphor ratio, scattering induced by packing density, light intensity per unit volume, and reabsorption. The thermal stability of the remote phosphor was investigated at 500°C, demonstrating its outstanding thermal properties.

  7. Thermo-cleavable solvents for printing conjugated polymers: Application in polymer solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Mikkel; Hagemann, Ole; Alstrup, Jan

    2009-01-01

    large-scale production of polymer solar cells using screen printing. Screen-printed solar cells are still very inferior to state of the art P3HT/PCBM technology, but it is our view that it is necessary to explore these printing technologies if polymer solar cells are to ever become commercial products.......The synthesis and characterization of a number of so-called thermo-cleavable solvents are described with their application in all-air, all-solution and all-screen-printed polymer solar cells. These solvents were developed to meet some requirements for printing techniques such as long “open time...... (TGA) and high-temperature NMR established the onset temperature of decomposition, the rate of the reaction and the nature of the products. Printing experiments with inks based on these solvents together with conjugated polymers are exemplified for polymer solar cell devices to show how they enable...

  8. Fabrication of bimetallic microfluidic surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors on paper by screen printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Lu-Lu; Song, Qi-Xia; Li, Yuan-Ting; Peng, Mao-Pan; Li, Da-Wei; Chen, Li-Xia; Fossey, John S; Long, Yi-Tao

    2013-08-20

    Au-Ag bimetallic microfluidic, dumbbell-shaped, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors were fabricated on cellulose paper by screen printing. These printed sensors rely on a sample droplet injection zone, and a SERS detection zone at either end of the dumbbell motif, fabricated by printing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) successively with microscale precision. The microfluidic channel was patterned using an insulating ink to connect these two zones and form a hydrophobic circuit. Owing to capillary action of paper in the millimeter-sized channels, the sensor could enable self-filtering of fluids to remove suspended particles within wastewater without pumping. This sensor also allows sensitive SERS detection, due to advantageous combination of the strong surface enhancement of Ag NPs and excellent chemical stability of Au NPs. The SERS performance of the sensors was investigated by employing the probe rhodamine 6G, a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.1×10(-13)M and an enhancement factor of 8.6×10(6) could be achieved. Moreover, the dumbbell-shaped bimetallic sensors exhibited good stability with SERS performance being maintained over 14 weeks in air, and high reproducibility with less than 15% variation in spot-to-spot SERS intensity. Using these dumbbell-shaped bimetallic sensors, substituted aromatic pollutants in wastewater samples could be quantitatively analyzed, which demonstrated their excellent capability for rapid trace pollutant detection in wastewater samples in the field without pre-separation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Printing Processes Used to Manufacture Photovoltaic Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rardin, Tina E.; Xu, Renmei

    2011-01-01

    There is a growing need for renewable energy sources, and solar power is a good option in many instances. Photovoltaic solar panels are now being manufactured via various methods, and different printing processes are being incorporated into the manufacturing process. Screen printing has been used most prevalently in the printing process to make…

  10. Evaluation of vibrant muscles over the shoulder region among workers of the hand screen printing industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramaniam, Shankar; Raju, Naveenkumar; Jeganathan, Karthick; Periyasamy, Mohankumar

    2018-06-01

    This study focuses on evaluation of the muscle activities associated with shoulder pain among workers of the hand screen printing (HSP) industry. Activities of three major muscles which showed higher muscle activity for a HSP job were observed for fatigue using surface electromyography (SEMG). The anatomical sites were chosen on the basis of a statistical survey and a visual inspection conducted before the experiment. Activities of the deltoid, teres major and infraspinatus were recorded using SEMG and the nature of muscle activities was studied for about 50 m of cloth printing. Data collected were processed using LabVIEW 2014 and the activities were analyzed using statistical tests and regression analyses. The results showed an increased risk of shoulder disorders with an increase in working time. Some of the risks which might cause disorders were predicted from the results; inspection and possible mitigations were suggested.

  11. A novel, disposable, screen-printed amperometric biosensor for glucose in serum fabricated using a water-based carbon ink.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crouch, Eric; Cowell, David C; Hoskins, Stephen; Pittson, Robin W; Hart, John P

    2005-11-15

    Screen-printed amperometric glucose biosensors have been fabricated using a water-based carbon ink. The enzyme glucose oxidase (GOD) and the electro-catalyst cobalt phthalocyanine were mixed with the carbon ink prior to the screen-printing process; therefore, biosensors are prepared in a one-step fabrication procedure. Optimisation of the biosensor performance was achieved by studying the effects of pH, buffer strength, and applied potential on the analytical response. Calibration studies were performed under optimum conditions, using amperometry in stirred solution, with an operating potential of +500 mV versus SCE. The sensitivity was found to be 1170 nA mM(-1), with a linear range of 0.025-2 mM; the former represents the detection limit. The disposable amperometric biosensor was evaluated by carrying out replicate determinations on a sample of bovine serum. This was achieved by the method of multiple standard additions and included a correction for background currents arising from oxidizable serum components. The mean serum concentration was calculated to be 8.63 mM and compared well with the supplier's value of 8.3 mM; the coefficient of variation was calculated to be 3.3% (n=6).

  12. Introducing Thermal Wave Transport Analysis (TWTA): A Thermal Technique for Dopamine Detection by Screen-Printed Electrodes Functionalized with Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) Particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peeters, Marloes M; van Grinsven, Bart; Foster, Christopher W; Cleij, Thomas J; Banks, Craig E

    2016-04-26

    A novel procedure is developed for producing bulk modified Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), which involves the direct mixing of the polymer particles within the screen-printed ink. This allowed reduction of the sample preparation time from 45 min to 1 min, and resulted in higher reproducibility of the electrodes. The samples are measured with a novel detection method, namely, thermal wave transport analysis (TWTA), relying on the analysis of thermal waves through a functional interface. As a first proof-of-principle, MIPs for dopamine are developed and successfully incorporated within a bulk modified MIP SPE. The detection limits of dopamine within buffer solutions for the MIP SPEs are determined via three independent techniques. With cyclic voltammetry this was determined to be 4.7 × 10(-6) M, whereas by using the heat-transfer method (HTM) 0.35 × 10(-6) M was obtained, and with the novel TWTA concept 0.26 × 10(-6) M is possible. This TWTA technique is measured simultaneously with HTM and has the benefits of reducing measurement time to less than 5 min and increasing effect size by nearly a factor of two. The two thermal methods are able to enhance dopamine detection by one order of magnitude compared to the electrochemical method. In previous research, it was not possible to measure neurotransmitters in complex samples with HTM, but with the improved signal-to-noise of TWTA for the first time, spiked dopamine concentrations were determined in a relevant food sample. In summary, novel concepts are presented for both the sensor functionalization side by employing screen-printing technology, and on the sensing side, the novel TWTA thermal technique is reported. The developed bio-sensing platform is cost-effective and suitable for mass-production due to the nature of screen-printing technology, which makes it very interesting for neurotransmitter detection in clinical diagnostic applications.

  13. Analysis of Gas Leakage and Current Loss of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells by Screen Printing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jia, Chuan; Han, Minfang; Chen, Ming

    2017-01-01

    Two types of anode supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) NiO-YSZ/YSZ/GDC/LSCF with the same structure and different manufacturing process were tested. Gas leakage was suspected for cells manufactured with screen printing technique. Effective leak current densities for both types of cells were...... calculated. Their performances of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were compared and distribution function of relaxation times (DRT) technique was also used to find the clue of gas leakage. Finally, thinning and penetrating holes were observed in electrolyte layer, which confirmed the occurrence...

  14. Trace lead analysis based on carbon-screen-printed-electrodes modified via 4-carboxy-phenyl diazonium salt electroreduction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouden, Sarra; Chausse, Annie; Dorbes, Stephane; El Tall, Omar; Bellakhal, Nizar; Dachraoui, Mohamed; Vautrin-Ul, Christine

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes the use of 4-carboxyphenyl-grafted screen-printed carbon electrodes (4-CP-SPEs) for trace lead analysis.These novel and simple use of electrodes were easily prepared by the electrochemical reduction of the corresponding diazonium salt. Pb detection was then performed by a three-steps method in order to avoid oxygen interference:(i)immersion of the grafted screen-printed electrode (SPE) in the sample and adsorption of Pb(II), (ii)reduction of adsorbed Pb(II) by chrono-amperometry (CA), and (iii) oxidation of Pb by Anodic Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV).The re-oxidation response was exploited for lead detection and quantification. In order to optimize the analytical responses, the influence of the adsorption medium pH and the adsorption time were investigated. Moreover, an interference study was carried out with Cu(II), Hg(II), Al(III), Mn(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and no major interference can be expected to quantify Pb(II). The described method provided a limit of detection and a limit of quantification of 1.2*10 9 M and 4.1*10 9 M, respectively. These performances indicate that the 4-CP-SPE could be considered as an efficient tool for environmental analysis. (authors)

  15. A disposable electrochemical immunosensor based on carbon screen-printed electrodes for the detection of prostate specific antigen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Mei; Zang, Dejin; Ge, Shenguang; Ge, Lei; Yu, Jinghua

    2012-01-01

    A novel screen-printed electrode (SPEs) on sheets of vegetable parchment was prepared. The obtained SPEs were stable, convenient, inexpensive and suitable for large-area screen-printing. With these SPEs, we explored the fabrication of a novel, disposable and highly sensitive electro-analytical immunosensor using graphene nanosheets (GS) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled signal antibody functionalized with gold nanoparticles (HRP-Ab(2)/Au NPs). GS was used to increase the conductivity and stability of this immunosensor due to its fast electron transportation and good biocompatibility. Au NPs could not only provide a large surface area for the immobilization of HRP-Ab(2) but also enhance the electroreduction between HRP and H(2)O(2) to amplify the electrochemical signal on the sandwich immuno-complexes modified SPEs. The proposed SPEs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical methods involving cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedence method. Using prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a model analyte, this immunosensor showed a wide linear range over 6 orders of magnitude with the minimum value down to 2 pg mL(-1). In addition, this immunosensor could avoid the need of deoxygenation for the electrochemical immunoassay. Thus, it provided a promising potential in clinical applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Cobalt Phthalocyanine Modified Electrodes Utilised in Electroanalysis: Nano-Structured Modified Electrodes vs. Bulk Modified Screen-Printed Electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher W. Foster

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC compounds have been reported to provide electrocatalytic performances towards a substantial number of analytes. In these configurations, electrodes are typically constructed via drop casting the CoPC onto a supporting electrode substrate, while in other cases the CoPC complex is incorporated within the ink of a screen-printed sensor, providing a one-shot economical and disposable electrode configuration. In this paper we critically compare CoPC modified electrodes prepared by drop casting CoPC nanoparticles (nano-CoPC onto a range of carbon based electrode substrates with that of CoPC bulk modified screen-printed electrodes in the sensing of the model analytes L-ascorbic acid, oxygen and hydrazine. It is found that no “electrocatalysis” is observed towards L-ascorbic acid using either of these CoPC modified electrode configurations and that the bare underlying carbon electrode is the origin of the obtained voltammetric signal, which gives rise to useful electroanalytical signatures, providing new insights into literature reports where “electrocatalysis” has been reported with no clear control experiments undertaken. On the other hand true electrocatalysis is observed towards hydrazine, where no such voltammetric features are witnessed on the bare underlying electrode substrate.

  17. Influence of the UV radiation on the screen-printed pH-sensitive layers based on graphene and ruthenium dioxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pepłowski, A.; Grudziński, D.; Raczyński, T.; Wróblewski, G.; Janczak, D.; Jakubowska, M.

    2017-08-01

    Electrodes for measuring pH of the solution were fabricated by the means of screen-printing technology. Potentiometric sensors' layers comprised of composite with polymer matrix and graphene nanoplatelets/ruthenium (IV) oxide nanopowder as functional phase. Transceivers were printed on the elastic PMMA foil. Regarding potential application of the sensors in the wearable devices, dynamic response of the electrodes to changing ultraviolet radiation levels was assessed, since RuO2 is reported to be UV-sensitive. Observed changes of the electrodes' potential were of sub-millivolt magnitude, being comparable to simultaneously observed signal drift. Given this stability under varying UV conditions and previously verified good flexibility, fabricated sensors meet the requirements for wearable applications.

  18. Comparison of Fast Roll-to-Roll Flexographic, Inkjet, Flatbed, and Rotary Screen Printing of Metal Back Electrodes for Polymer Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hösel, Markus; Søndergaard, Roar R.; Angmo, Dechan

    2013-01-01

    carbon[5] and copper has been discussed whereas copper is unlikely to yield the necessary cost reduction and resistance to oxidation. Most reports have employed flatbed or rotary screen printing whereas other methods are available and described later on. The important question to answer is which...

  19. Fabrication of Metal Nanoparticle-Modified Screen Printed Carbon Electrodes for the Evaluation of Hydrogen Peroxide Content in Teeth Whitening Strips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popa, Adriana; Abenojar, Eric C.; Vianna, Adam; Buenviaje, Czarina Y. A.; Yang, Jiahua; Pascual, Cherrie B.; Samia, Anna Cristina S.

    2015-01-01

    A laboratory experiment in which students synthesize Ag, Au, and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) and use them to modify screen printed carbon electrodes for the electroanalysis of the hydrogen peroxide content in commercially available teeth whitening strips is described. This experiment is designed for two 3-h laboratory periods and can be adapted for…

  20. Application of printed nanocrystalline diamond film for electron emission cathode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Xiuxia; Wei Shuyi; Lei Chongmin; Wei Jie; Lu Bingheng; Ding Yucheng; Zhu Changchun

    2011-01-01

    The low-cost and large area screen-printed nano-diamond film (NDF) for electronic emission was fabricated. The edges and corners of nanocrystalline diamond are natural field-emitters. The nano-diamond paste for screen-printing was fabricated of mixing nano-graphite and other inorganic or organic vehicles. Through enough disperse in isopropyl alcohol by ultrasonic nano-diamond paste was screen-printed on the substrates to form NDF. SEM images showed that the surface morphology of NDF was improved, and the nano-diamond emitters were exposed from NDF through the special thermal-sintering technique and post-treatment process. The field emission characteristics of NDF were measured under all conditions with 10 -6 Pa pressure. The results indicated that the field emission stability and emission uniformity of NDF were improved through hydrogen plasma post-treatment process. The turn-on field decreased from 1.60 V/μm to 1.25 V/μm. The screen-printed NDF can be applied to the displays electronic emission cathode for low-cost outdoor in large area.

  1. Humidity sensing properties of WO3 thick film resistor prepared by screen printing technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garde, Arun S

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Polycrystalline WO 3 Thick films are fabricated by screen printing technique. • Monoclinic phases were the majority in formation of films. • The peak at 1643 cm −1 shows stretching vibrations attributed to W-OH of adsorbed H 2 O. • Absorption peaks in the range 879–650 cm −1 are attributed to the stretching W-O-W bonds. • Increase in resistance with decrease in RH when exposed to 20–100% RH. - Abstract: Thick films of tungsten oxide based were prepared using standard screen printing technique. To study the effect of temperature on the thick films were fired at different temperature for 30 min in air atmosphere. The WO 3 thick films were characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and EDAX for elemental analysis. The formation of mixed phases of the film together with majority of monoclinic phase was observed. IR spectra confirm the peak at 1643 cm −1 clearly shows stretching vibrations attributed to the W-OH bending vibration mode of the adsorbed water molecules. The absorption peaks in the range 879–650 cm −1 are attributed to the stretching W-O-W bonds (i.e. ν [W-O inter -W]). The peak located at 983 cm −1 belong to W=O terminal of cluster boundaries. A change in the resistance was observed with respect to the relative humidity when the WO 3 thick films were exposed to a wide humidity range of 20–100%. An increasing firing temperature of WO 3 film increases with the sensitivity. The parameters such as sensitivity and hysteresis of the WO 3 film sensors have been evaluated

  2. SnO2/PPy Screen-Printed Multilayer CO2 Gas Sensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.A. WAGHULEY

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Tin dioxide (SnO2 plays a dominant role in solid state gas sensors and exhibit sensitivity towards oxidizing and reducing gases by a variation of its electrical properties. The electrical conducting polymer-polypyrrole (PPy has high anisotropy of electrical conduction and used as a gas sensor. SnO2/PPy multilayer, pure SnO2, pure PPy sensors were prepared by screen-printing method on Al2O3 layer followed by glass substrate. The sensors were used for different concentration (ppm of CO2 gas investigation at room temperature (303 K. The sensitivity of SnO2/PPy multilayer sensor was found to be higher, compared with pure SnO2 and pure PPy sensors. The multilayer sensor exhibited improved stability. The response and recovery time of multilayer sensor were found to be ~2 min and ~10 min respectively.

  3. Detection of cadmium sulphide nanoparticles by using screen-printed electrodes and a handheld device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merkoci, Arben; Marcolino-Junior, Luiz Humberto; MarIn, Sergio; Fatibello-Filho, Orlando; Alegret, Salvador

    2007-01-01

    A simple method based on screen-printed electrodes and a handheld potentiostatic device is reported for the detection of water soluble CdS quantum dots modified with glutathione. The detection method is based on the stripping of electrochemically reduced cadmium at pH 7.0 by using square wave voltammetry. Various parameters that affect the sensitivity of the method are optimized. QD suspension volumes of 20 μl and a number of around 2 x 10 11 CdS quantum dots have been able to be detected. The proposed method should be of special interest for bioanalytical assays, where CdS quantum dots can be used as electrochemical tracers

  4. 3D-copper oxide and copper oxide/few-layer graphene with screen printed nanosheet assembly for ultrasensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Zhimei [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communicate Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Advanced Materials and Printed Electronics Center, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Pan, Peng, E-mail: panpeny@163.com [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communicate Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Advanced Materials and Printed Electronics Center, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Liu, Xuewen [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communicate Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Advanced Materials and Printed Electronics Center, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Yang, Zhengchun; Wei, Jun [Advanced Materials and Printed Electronics Center, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Wei, Zhen, E-mail: weizhenxinxi@163.com [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Film Electronic and Communicate Devices, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China); Advanced Materials and Printed Electronics Center, School of Electronics Information Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300384 (China)

    2017-02-01

    Screen-printed copper oxide (CuO) and CuO/few-layer graphene on graphite electrodes were used to fabricate the ultrasensitive nonenzymatic glucose biosensors. Flower-like CuO and flower-like CuO/few-layer graphene composites were prepared by screen-printing method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HETEM). On the basis of their cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry results, it was concluded that the addition of graphene to CuO significantly improved the performance of the fabricated glucose sensors, exhibiting high and reproducible sensitivity of 3120 μAmM{sup −1} cm{sup −2} with three linear ranges from 4 μM to 13.5 mM and the detection limit of 4 μM (S/N = 3) in a fast response time of 2 s. In addition, the fabricated sensors could effectively avoid the disturbance by interferents, such as Ascorbic Acid (AA), Uric Acid (UA), and Dopamine (DA). Most importantly, the testing results of real blood serum samples demonstrated that the electrodes were applicable and acceptable for the determination of glucose concentrations in human serum. The efficiencies of two non-enzymatic glucose biosensors for glucose determination were comparable with that of a commercial enzymatic sensor. - Highlights: • The method 2D nanosheet turns to 3D microflower by using screen printing was proposed. • Few-layer graphene added improved the sensor’s performance on base of CuO functional material. • Two ultrasensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensors were successfully fabricated. • The proposed sensor shows a high sensitivity of 3120 μA mM{sup −1} cm{sup −2}.

  5. Printed all-solid flexible microsupercapacitors: towards the general route for high energy storage devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Ye; Shi, Yumeng; Zhao, Cheng Xi; Wong, Jen It; Yang, Hui Ying; Sun, Xiao Wei

    2014-01-01

    A novel method for fabricating all-solid flexible microsupercapacitors (MSCs) was proposed and developed by utilizing screen printing technology. A typical printed MSC is composed of a printed Ag electrode, MnO 2 /onion-like carbon (MnO 2 /OLC) as active material and a polyvinyl alcohol:H 3 PO 4 (PVA:H 3 PO 4 ) as solid electrolyte. A capacity of 7.04 mF cm −2 was achieved for the screen printed MnO 2 /OLC MSCs at a current density of 20 μA cm −2 . It also showed an excellent cycling stability, with 80% retention of the specific capacity after 1000 cycles. The printed all-solid flexible MSCs exhibited remarkably high mechanical flexibility when the devices were bent to a radius of 3.5 mm. In addition, all-solid MSCs were successfully demonstrated by screen printing technique on various substrates, such as silicon, glass and conventional printing paper. Moreover, the screen printing technique can be extended to other active materials, such as OLC and carbon nanotubes. This method provides a general route for printable all-solid flexible MSCs, which is compatible with the roll-to-roll process for various high performance active materials. (paper)

  6. Printed and tablet e-paper newspaper from an environmental perspective - A screening life cycle assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moberg, Asa; Johansson, Martin; Finnveden, Goeran; Jonsson, Alex

    2010-01-01

    Viable alternatives to conventional newspapers, such as electronic papers, e-papers or e-readers, are intended to have many of the qualities of paper, such as reading using reflective light, high resolution, 180 deg. viewing angle. It has been suggested that the environmental impact of e-paper can be lower than for printed and internet-based newspapers. However, in order to find the facts of the matter, a thorough life cycle perspective covering raw material acquisition, production, use and disposal should preferably be used to study the environmental performance of the different products. A screening life cycle assessment was performed to describe the potential environmental impacts of two product systems; printed on paper and tablet e-paper newspapers. Results show that the most significant phase of the life cycle for both product systems was the production of substrate or platform. Accordingly, key aspects that may affect the resulting environmental performance of newspaper product systems were for the printed newspaper number of readers per copy and number of pages per issue and for the tablet e-paper newspaper lifetime and multi-use of the device. The printed newspaper in general had a higher energy use, higher emissions of gases contributing to climate change and several other impact categories than the tablet e-paper newspaper. It was concluded that tablet e-paper has the potential to decrease the environmental impact of newspaper consumption. However, further studies regarding the environmental impact of production and waste management of electronic devices and internet use, as well as more comprehensive assessment of toxicological impacts are needed. As the data on the electronic devices becomes more comprehensive this may prove to be a major limitation of electronic newspaper systems. Developers are suggested to strive towards minimisation of toxic and rare substances in production.

  7. Fabricating Simple Wax Screen-Printing Paper-Based Analytical Devices to Demonstrate the Concept of Limiting Reagent in Acid- Base Reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namwong, Pithakpong; Jarujamrus, Purim; Amatatongchai, Maliwan; Chairam, Sanoe

    2018-01-01

    In this article, a low-cost, simple, and rapid fabrication of paper-based analytical devices (PADs) using a wax screen-printing method is reported here. The acid-base reaction is implemented in the simple PADs to demonstrate to students the chemistry concept of a limiting reagent. When a fixed concentration of base reacts with a gradually…

  8. Simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid using high-performance screen-printed graphene electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ping, Jianfeng; Wu, Jian; Wang, Yixian; Ying, Yibin

    2012-04-15

    A disposable and sensitive screen-printed electrode using an ink containing graphene was developed. This electrode combined the advantages of graphene and the disposable characteristic of electrode, which possessed wide potential window, low background current and fast electron transfer kinetics. Compared with the electrodes made from other inks, screen-printed graphene electrode (SPGNE) showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and uric acid (UA). Three well-defined sharp and fully resolved anodic peaks were found at the developed electrode. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to simultaneous determination of AA, DA, and UA in their ternary mixture. In the co-existence system of these three species, the linear response ranges for the determination of AA, DA, and UA were 4.0-4500 μM, 0.5-2000 μM, and 0.8-2500 μM, respectively. The detection limits (S/N=3) were found to be 0.95 μM, 0.12 μM, and 0.20 μM for the determination of AA, DA, and UA, respectively. Furthermore, the SPGNE displayed high reproducibility and stability for these species determination. The feasibility of the developed electrode for real sample analysis was investigated. Results showed that the SPGNE could be used as a sensitive and selective sensor for simultaneous determination of AA, DA, and UA in biological samples, which may provide a promising alternative in routine sensing applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Versatile Molecular Silver Ink Platform for Printed Flexible Electronics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kell, Arnold J; Paquet, Chantal; Mozenson, Olga; Djavani-Tabrizi, Iden; Deore, Bhavana; Liu, Xiangyang; Lopinski, Gregory P; James, Robert; Hettak, Khelifa; Shaker, Jafar; Momciu, Adrian; Ferrigno, Julie; Ferrand, Olivier; Hu, Jian Xiong; Lafrenière, Sylvie; Malenfant, Patrick R L

    2017-05-24

    A silver molecular ink platform formulated for screen, inkjet, and aerosol jet printing is presented. A simple formulation comprising silver neodecanoate, ethyl cellulose, and solvent provides improved performance versus that of established inks, yet with improved economics. Thin, screen-printed traces with exceptional electrical (molecular ink platform enables an aerosol jet-compatible ink that yields conductive features on glass with 2× bulk resistivity and strong adhesion to various plastic substrates. An inkjet formulation is also used to print top source/drain contacts and demonstrate printed high-mobility thin film transistors (TFTs) based on semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes. TFTs with mobility values of ∼25 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and current on/off ratios >10 4 were obtained, performance similar to that of evaporated metal contacts in analogous devices.

  10. Optical properties of flexible fluorescent films prepared by screen printing technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Chen

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we prepared a fluorescent film comprised phosphors and silicone on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET substrate using a screen printing technology. The effects of mesh number and weight ratio of phosphors to silicone on the optical properties of the flexible films were investigated. The results indicate that the emission intensity of the film increase as the mesh decreased from 400 to 200, but the film surface gradually becomes uneven. The fluorescent film with high emission intensity and smooth surface can be obtained when the weight ratio of phosphor to gel is 2:1, and mesh number is 300. The luminous efficiency of the fabricated LEDs combined the fluorescent films with 460 nm Ga(InN chip module can reach 75 lm/W. The investigation indicates that the approach can be applied in the remote fluorescent film conversion and decreases the requirements of the particle size and the dispersion state of fluorescent materials.

  11. Optical properties of flexible fluorescent films prepared by screen printing technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yan; Ke, Taiyan; Chen, Shuijin; He, Xin; Zhang, Mei; Li, Dong; Deng, Jinfeng; Zeng, Qingguang

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we prepared a fluorescent film comprised phosphors and silicone on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using a screen printing technology. The effects of mesh number and weight ratio of phosphors to silicone on the optical properties of the flexible films were investigated. The results indicate that the emission intensity of the film increase as the mesh decreased from 400 to 200, but the film surface gradually becomes uneven. The fluorescent film with high emission intensity and smooth surface can be obtained when the weight ratio of phosphor to gel is 2:1, and mesh number is 300. The luminous efficiency of the fabricated LEDs combined the fluorescent films with 460 nm Ga(In)N chip module can reach 75 lm/W. The investigation indicates that the approach can be applied in the remote fluorescent film conversion and decreases the requirements of the particle size and the dispersion state of fluorescent materials.

  12. Step-by-step guide to building an inexpensive 3D printed motorized positioning stage for automated high-content screening microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneidereit, Dominik; Kraus, Larissa; Meier, Jochen C; Friedrich, Oliver; Gilbert, Daniel F

    2017-06-15

    High-content screening microscopy relies on automation infrastructure that is typically proprietary, non-customizable, costly and requires a high level of skill to use and maintain. The increasing availability of rapid prototyping technology makes it possible to quickly engineer alternatives to conventional automation infrastructure that are low-cost and user-friendly. Here, we describe a 3D printed inexpensive open source and scalable motorized positioning stage for automated high-content screening microscopy and provide detailed step-by-step instructions to re-building the device, including a comprehensive parts list, 3D design files in STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product model data) and STL (Standard Tessellation Language) format, electronic circuits and wiring diagrams as well as software code. System assembly including 3D printing requires approx. 30h. The fully assembled device is light-weight (1.1kg), small (33×20×8cm) and extremely low-cost (approx. EUR 250). We describe positioning characteristics of the stage, including spatial resolution, accuracy and repeatability, compare imaging data generated with our device to data obtained using a commercially available microplate reader, demonstrate its suitability to high-content microscopy in 96-well high-throughput screening format and validate its applicability to automated functional Cl - - and Ca 2+ -imaging with recombinant HEK293 cells as a model system. A time-lapse video of the stage during operation and as part of a custom assembled screening robot can be found at https://vimeo.com/158813199. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Integrated Affinity Biosensing Platforms on Screen-Printed Electrodes Electrografted with Diazonium Salts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paloma Yáñez-Sedeño

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Adequate selection of the electrode surface and the strategies for its modification to enable subsequent immobilization of biomolecules and/or nanomaterials integration play a major role in the performance of electrochemical affinity biosensors. Because of the simplicity, rapidity and versatility, electrografting using diazonium salt reduction is among the most currently used functionalization methods to provide the attachment of an organic layer to a conductive substrate. This particular chemistry has demonstrated to be a powerful tool to covalently immobilize in a stable and reproducible way a wide range of biomolecules or nanomaterials onto different electrode surfaces. Considering the great progress and interesting features arisen in the last years, this paper outlines the potential of diazonium chemistry to prepare single or multianalyte electrochemical affinity biosensors on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs and points out the existing challenges and future directions in this field.

  14. Integrated Affinity Biosensing Platforms on Screen-Printed Electrodes Electrografted with Diazonium Salts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yáñez-Sedeño, Paloma; Campuzano, Susana; Pingarrón, José M

    2018-02-24

    Adequate selection of the electrode surface and the strategies for its modification to enable subsequent immobilization of biomolecules and/or nanomaterials integration play a major role in the performance of electrochemical affinity biosensors. Because of the simplicity, rapidity and versatility, electrografting using diazonium salt reduction is among the most currently used functionalization methods to provide the attachment of an organic layer to a conductive substrate. This particular chemistry has demonstrated to be a powerful tool to covalently immobilize in a stable and reproducible way a wide range of biomolecules or nanomaterials onto different electrode surfaces. Considering the great progress and interesting features arisen in the last years, this paper outlines the potential of diazonium chemistry to prepare single or multianalyte electrochemical affinity biosensors on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) and points out the existing challenges and future directions in this field.

  15. 96X Screen-Printed Gold Electrode Platform to Evaluate Electroactive Polymers as Marine Antifouling Coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brisset, Hugues; Briand, Jean-François; Barry-Martinet, Raphaëlle; Duong, The Hy; Frère, Pierre; Gohier, Frédéric; Leriche, Philippe; Bressy, Christine

    2018-04-17

    Several alternatives are currently investigated to prevent and control the natural process of colonization of any seawater submerged surfaces by marine organisms. Since few years we develop an approach based on addressable electroactive coatings containing conducting polymers or polymers with lateral redox groups. In this article we describe the use of a screen-printed plate formed by 96 three-electrode electrochemical cells to assess the potential of these electroactive coatings to prevent the adhesion of marine bacteria. This novel platform is intended to control and record the redox properties of the electroactive coating in each well during the bioassay (15 h) and to allow screening its antiadhesion activity with enough replicates to support significant conclusions. Validation of this platform was carried out with poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as electroactive coating obtained by electropolymerization of EDOT monomer in artificial seawater electrolyte on the working electrode of each electrochemical cell of the 96-well microplate.

  16. Influence of Dry Cleaning on the Electrical Resistance of Screen Printed Conductors on Textiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazani Ilda

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Electrically conducting inks were screen printed on various textile substrates. The samples were dry cleaned with the usual chemicals in order to investigate the influence of the mechanical treatment on the electrical conductivity. It was found that dry cleaning has a tremendous influence on this electrical conductivity. For several samples, it is observed that the electrical resistance increases with the square of the number of dry cleaning cycles. In order to explain this observation a theoretical model and a numerical simulation have been carried out, by assuming that dry cleaning cycles introduce a crack in the conducting layer. The theoretical analysis and the numerical analysis both confirmed the experimental observations.

  17. Direct transparent electrode patterning on layered GaN substrate by screen printing of indium tin oxide nanoparticle ink for Eu-doped GaN red light-emitting diode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kashiwagi, Y.; Koizumi, A.; Takemura, Y.; Furuta, S.; Yamamoto, M.; Saitoh, M.; Takahashi, M.; Ohno, T.; Fujiwara, Y.; Murahashi, K.; Ohtsuka, K.; Nakamoto, M.

    2014-12-01

    Transparent electrodes were formed on Eu-doped GaN-based red-light-emitting diode (GaN:Eu LED) substrates by the screen printing of indium tin oxide nanoparticle (ITO np) inks as a wet process. The ITO nps with a mean diameter of 25 nm were synthesized by the controlled thermolysis of a mixture of indium complexes and tin complexes. After the direct screen printing of ITO np inks on GaN:Eu LED substrates and sintering at 850 °C for 10 min under atmospheric conditions, the resistivity of the ITO film was 5.2 mΩ cm. The fabricated LED up to 3 mm square surface emitted red light when the on-voltage was exceeded.

  18. 3D Printing of Tissue Engineered Constructs for in vitro Modeling of Disease Progression and Drug Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderburgh, Joseph; Sterling, Julie A.

    2016-01-01

    2D cell culture and preclinical animal models have traditionally been implemented for investigating the underlying cellular mechanisms of human disease progression. However, the increasing significance of 3D versus 2D cell culture has initiated a new era in cell culture research in which 3D in vitro models are emerging as a bridge between traditional 2D cell culture and in vivo animal models. Additive manufacturing (AM, also known as 3D printing), defined as the layer-by-layer fabrication of parts directed by digital information from a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) file, offers the advantages of simultaneous rapid prototyping and biofunctionalization as well as the precise placement of cells and extracellular matrix with high resolution. In this review, we highlight recent advances in 3D printing of tissue engineered constructs (TECs) that recapitulate the physical and cellular properties of the tissue microenvironment for investigating mechanisms of disease progression and for screening drugs. PMID:27169894

  19. Determination of Lead(II), Cadmium(II) and Copper(II) in Waste-Water and Soil Extracts on Mercury Film Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes Sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Fairulnizal Md Noh; Tothill, I.E.

    2011-01-01

    A sensor incorporating a three electrodes configuration have been fabricated using low cost screen-printing technology. These electrodes couples with Square Wave Stripping Voltammetry (SWSV) has provided a convenient screening tool for on-site detection of trace levels of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II). Modification of the graphite carbon surface based on in situ deposition of mercury film has been carried out. By appropriate choice of supporting medium and optimized parameters setting such as amount of mercury used the deposition potential, deposition time, frequency and scan rate, well resolved and reproducible response for Pb(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) were obtained. The performance characteristics of the developed mercury film screen printed carbon electrode (MFSPCE) for 120 s deposition time showed that the linear range for Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II) were 10 to 200 μg L -1 . The detection limit recorded for Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II) were 2, 1 and 5 μg L -1 with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 6.5 %, 6.9 % and 7.5 %, respectively. Successful applications of the sensing device to waste-water and extracted soil samples were demonstrated. (author)

  20. Screen-Printed Photochromic Textiles through New Inks Based on SiO2@naphthopyran Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Tânia V; Costa, Paula; Sousa, Céu M; Sousa, Carlos A D; Pereira, Clara; Silva, Carla J S M; Pereira, Manuel Fernando R; Coelho, Paulo J; Freire, Cristina

    2016-10-26

    Photochromic silica nanoparticles (SiO 2 @NPT), fabricated through the covalent immobilization of silylated naphthopyrans (NPTs) based on 2H-naphtho[1,2-b]pyran (S1, S2) and 3H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran (S3, S4) or through the direct adsorption of the parent naphthopyrans (1, 3) onto silica nanoparticles (SiO 2 NPs), were successfully incorporated onto cotton fabrics by a screen-printing process. Two aqueous acrylic- (AC-) and polyurethane- (PU-) based inks were used as dispersing media. All textiles exhibited reversible photochromism under UV and solar irradiation, developing fast responses and intense coloration. The fabrics coated with SiO 2 @S1 and SiO 2 @S2 showed rapid color changes and high contrasts (ΔE* ab = 39-52), despite presenting slower bleaching kinetics (2-3 h to fade to the original color), whereas the textiles coated with SiO 2 @S3 and SiO 2 @S4 exhibited excellent engagement between coloration and decoloration rates (coloration and fading times of 1 and 2 min, respectively; ΔE* ab = 27-53). The PU-based fabrics showed excellent results during the washing fastness tests, whereas the AC-based textiles evidenced good results only when a protective transfer film was applied over the printed design.

  1. Anodic stripping voltammetry of antimony using gold nanoparticle-modified carbon screen-printed electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dominguez Renedo, Olga; Arcos Martinez, M. Julia

    2007-01-01

    Carbon screen-printed electrodes (CSPE) modified with gold nanoparticles present an interesting alternative in the determination of antimony using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. Metallic gold nanoparticles deposits have been obtained by direct electrochemical deposition. Scanning electron microscopy measurements show that the electrochemically synthesized gold nanoparticles are deposited in aggregated form. Any undue effects caused by the presence of foreign ions in the solution were also analyzed to ensure that common interferents in the determination of antimony by ASV. The detection limit for Sb(III) obtained was 9.44 x 10 -10 M. In terms of reproducibility, the precision of the above mentioned method in %R.S.D. values was calculated at 2.69% (n = 10). The method was applied to determine levels of antimony in seawater samples and pharmaceutical preparations

  2. Magnetic properties of screen-printed (Y0.5Sm0.5)Co5 magnet arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bueno-Baques, D.; Maldonado-Chavez, L.; Hidalgo-Gonzalez, J.L.; Matutes-Aquino, J.A.; Corral-Flores, V.

    2007-01-01

    (Y 0.5 Sm 0.5 )Co 5 magnet arrays of square μdots of 300 μm were prepared by screen printing. A well controlled paste like ink prepared with the (Y 0.5 Sm 0.5 )Co 5 nanoparticles and a mixture of organic solvent and polymer was used to print different pattern arrays. (Y 0.5 Sm 0.5 )Co 5 nanoparticles were obtained by mechanical milling starting from arc melted ingots and heat treated in Ar atmosphere. Two different heat treatment were considered, resulting in powders with different magnetic properties. The microstructure of the magnet arrays was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An isotropic homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles inside the μdots was observed. The final shape of the μdots in the array was found to be highly dependent on the squeeze pressure and speed over the mesh. Magnetic properties were studied by pulsed field magnetometry and vibrating sample magnetometry at room temperature. The micro size arrays showed lower saturation magnetization and a slightly increase in the coercive field. (copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  3. Nature of the Ag-Si interface in screen-printed contacts. A detailed transmission electron microscopy study of cross-sectional structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ballif, C. [Fraunhofer ISE, Laboratory and Service Center Gelsenkirchen (Germany); Huljic, D.M.; Willeke, G. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Solare Energiesysteme (ISE), Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany); Hessler-Wyser, A. [Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology, CIME, Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2002-07-01

    As screen printed contacts are the predominant metallisation technique in industrial production of Si solar cells, a better understanding of their properties is necessary. In this work, we show that high-quality cross-sectional samples can be prepared, whose study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals precisely the structure of the contact between the silver fingers and the Si. On diffused [100] Si wafers, direct firing of an Ag paste results in interfaces which are mainly composed of shaped Ag crystallites penetrating the emitter up to 120 nm. These crystallites are in epitaxial relation with the Sl substrate. When firing the contacts through a SiN{sub x} layer, larger Ag crystallites are present at the interface with Si and the orientation relation is lost. In both cases, high resolution TEM imaging and EDX analyses reveal a crystalline Ag/Si interface, where neither oxide nor glass frit can be detected. The presence of a significant glass frit layer between the Ag crystallites contacting the Si and the large Ag grains forming the bulk of the fingers can partly explain why lowly doped emitters are difficult to contact by screen-printing. (orig.)

  4. Mathematical Models of the Sinusoidal Screen Family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tajana Koren

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we will define a family of sinusoidal screening elements and explore the possibilities of their application in graphic arts, securities printing and design solutions in photography and typography editing. For this purpose mathematical expressions of sinusoidal families were converted into a Postscript language. The introduction of a random variable results in a countless number of various mutations which cannot be repeated without knowing the programming code itself. The use of the family of screens in protection of securities is thus of great importance. Other possible application of modulated sinusoidal screens is related to the large format color printing. This paper will test the application of sinusoidal screens in vector graphics, pixel graphics and typography. The development of parameters in the sinusoidal screen element algorithms gives new forms defined within screening cells with strict requirements of coverage implementation. Individual solutions include stochastic algorithms, as well as the autonomy of screening forms in regard to multicolor printing channels.

  5. All-solid-state potentiometric sensors for ascorbic acid by using a screen-printed compatible solid contact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veltsistas, Panayotis G.; Prodromidis, Mamas I.; Efstathiou, Constantinos

    2004-01-01

    The development of all-solid-state potentiometric ion selective electrodes for monitoring of ascorbic acid, by using a screen-printed compatible solid contact is described. The applied methodology is based on the use of PVC membrane modified with some firstly-tested ionophores (triphenyltin(IV)chloride, triphenyltin(IV)hydroxide and palmitoyl-L-ascorbic acid) and a novel one synthesized in our laboratory (dibutyltin(IV) diascorbate). Synthesis protocol and some preliminary identification studies are given. A conductive graphite-based polymer thick film ink was used as an internal solid contact between the graphite electrode and the PVC membrane. The presence and the nature of the solid contact (plain or doped with lanthanum 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPI)) seem to enhance the analytical performance of the electrodes in terms of sensitivity, dynamic range, and response time. The analytical performance of the constructed electrodes was evaluated with potentiometry, constant-current chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The interference effect of various compounds was also tested. The potential response of the optimized Ph 3 SnCl-based electrode was linear against ascorbic acid concentration range 0.005-5.0 mM. The applicability of the proposed sensors in real samples was also tested. The detection limit was 0.002 mM ascorbic acid (50 mM phosphate, pH 5 in 50 mM KCl). The slope of the electrodes was super-Nernstian and pH dependent, indicating a mechanism involving a combination of charge transfer and ion exchange processes. Fabrication of screen-printed ascorbate ISEs has also been demonstrated

  6. Screen-printed electrode modified with carbon black and chitosan: a novel platform for acetylcholinesterase biosensor development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talarico, Daria; Arduini, Fabiana; Amine, Aziz; Cacciotti, Ilaria; Moscone, Danila; Palleschi, Giuseppe

    2016-10-01

    We report a screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with a dispersion of carbon black (CB) and chitosan by drop casting. A cyclic voltammetry technique towards ferricyanide, caffeic acid, hydroquinone, and thiocholine was performed and an improvement of the electrochemical response with respect to bare SPE as well as SPE modified only with chitosan was observed. The possibility to detect thiocholine at a low applied potential with high sensitivity was exploited and an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor was developed. A dispersion of CB, chitosan, and AChE was used to fabricate this biosensor in one step by drop casting. The enzymatic activity of the immobilized AChE was determined measuring the enzymatic product thiocholine at +300 mV. Owing to the capability of organophosphorus pesticides to inhibit AChE, this biosensor was used to detect these pollutants, and paraoxon was taken as model compound. The enzyme inhibition was linearly related to the concentration of paraoxon up to 0.5 μg L(-1), and a low detection limit equal to 0.05 μg L(-1) (calculated as 10% of inhibition) was achieved. This biosensor was challenged for paraoxon detection in drinking waters with satisfactory recovery values. The use of AChE embedded in a dispersion of CB and chitosan allowed an easy and fast production of a sensitive biosensor suitable for paraoxon detection in drinking waters at legal limit levels. Graphical Abstract Biosensors based on screen-printed electrodes modified with Acetylcholinesterase, Carbon Black, and Chitosan for organophosphorus pesticide detection.

  7. Printing nanotube/nanowire for flexible microsystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tortorich, Ryan P.; Choi, Jin-Woo

    2014-04-01

    Printing has become an emerging manufacturing technology for mechanics, electronics, and consumer products. Additionally, both nanotubes and nanowires have recently been used as materials for sensors and electrodes due to their unique electrical and mechanical properties. Printed electrodes and conductive traces particularly offer versatility of fabricating low-cost, disposable, and flexible electrical devices and microsystems. While various printing methods such as screen printing have been conventional methods for printing conductive traces and electrodes, inkjet printing has recently attracted great attention due to its unique advantages including no template requirement, rapid printing at low cost, on-demand printing capability, and precise control of the printed material. Computer generated conductive traces or electrode patterns can simply be printed on a thin film substrate with proper conductive ink consisting of nanotubes or nanowires. However, in order to develop nanotube or nanowire ink, there are a few challenges that need to be addressed. The most difficult obstacle to overcome is that of nanotube/nanowire dispersion within a solution. Other challenges include adjusting surface tension and controlling viscosity of the ink as well as treating the surface of the printing substrate. In an attempt to pave the way for nanomaterial inkjet printing, we present a method for preparing carbon nanotube ink as well as its printing technique. A fully printed electrochemical sensor using inkjet-printed carbon nanotube electrodes is also demonstrated as an example of the possibilities for this technology.

  8. Screen-Printed Graphite Electrodes as Low-Cost Devices for Oxygen Gas Detection in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Junqiao; Hussain, Ghulam; Banks, Craig E; Silvester, Debbie S

    2017-11-26

    Screen-printed graphite electrodes (SPGEs) have been used for the first time as platforms to detect oxygen gas in room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). Up until now, carbon-based SPEs have shown inferior behaviour compared to platinum and gold SPEs for gas sensing with RTIL solvents. The electrochemical reduction of oxygen (O₂) in a range of RTILs has therefore been explored on home-made SPGEs, and is compared to the behaviour on commercially-available carbon SPEs (C-SPEs). Six common RTILs are initially employed for O₂ detection using cyclic voltammetry (CV), and two RTILs ([C₂mim][NTf₂] and [C₄mim][PF₆]) chosen for further detailed analytical studies. Long-term chronoamperometry (LTCA) was also performed to test the ability of the sensor surface for real-time gas monitoring. Both CV and LTCA gave linear calibration graphs-for CV in the 10-100% vol. range, and for LTCA in the 0.1-20% vol. range-on the SPGE. The responses on the SPGE were far superior to the commercial C-SPEs; more instability in the electrochemical responses were observed on the C-SPEs, together with some breaking-up or dissolution of the electrode surface materials. This study highlights that not all screen-printed ink formulations are compatible with RTIL solvents for longer-term electrochemical experiments, and that the choice of RTIL is also important. Overall, the low-cost SPGEs appear to be promising platforms for the detection of O₂, particularly in [C₄mim][PF₆].

  9. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy versus cyclic voltammetry for the electroanalytical sensing of capsaicin utilising screen printed carbon nanotube electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randviir, Edward P; Metters, Jonathan P; Stainton, John; Banks, Craig E

    2013-05-21

    Screen printed carbon nanotube electrodes (SPEs) are explored as electroanalytical sensing platforms for the detection of capsaicin in both synthetic capsaicin solutions and capsaicin extracted from chillies and chilli sauces utilising both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It is found that the technique which is most applicable to the electroanalytical detection of capsaicin depends upon the analyte concentration: for the case of low capsaicin concentrations, CV is a more appropriate method as capsaicin exhibits characteristic voltammetric waves of peak heights relevant to the capsaicin concentration; but for the case of high capsaicin concentrations where the voltammetric waves merge and migrate out of the potential window, EIS is shown to be a more appropriate technique, owing to the observed linear increases in R(ct) with increasing concentration. Furthermore, we explore different types of screen printed carbon nanotube electrodes, namely single- and multi- walled carbon nanotubes, finding that they are technique-specific: for the case of low capsaicin concentrations, single-walled carbon nanotube SPEs are preferable (SW-SPE); yet for the case of EIS at high capsaicin concentrations, multi-walled carbon nanotube SPEs (MW-SPE) are preferred, based upon analytical responses. The analytical performance of CV and EIS is applied to the sensing of capsaicin in grown chillies and chilli sauces and is critically compared to 'gold standard' HPLC analysis.

  10. Influence of hydroxyl content of binders on rheological properties of cerium-gadolinium oxide (CGO) screen printing inks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marani, Debora; Gadea, Christophe; Hjelm, Johan

    2015-01-01

    vinyl resins) were selected and characterized in solution via viscosimetry method. A high degree of hyper-entanglement was observed for ethyl cellulose polymers, whereas a mitigated effect characterized the two vinyl resins. Cerium-gadolinium oxides (CGO)-based inks, prepared using the selected binders......The influence of hydroxyl content of binders on rheological properties of screen printing inks is investigated. The actual amount of hydroxyl groups is correlated to the level of hyper-entanglement that characterizes the binders in solution. Three of the most used binders (ethyl cellulose, and two...

  11. Direct transparent electrode patterning on layered GaN substrate by screen printing of indium tin oxide nanoparticle ink for Eu-doped GaN red light-emitting diode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kashiwagi, Y.; Yamamoto, M.; Saitoh, M.; Takahashi, M.; Ohno, T.; Nakamoto, M.; Koizumi, A.; Fujiwara, Y.; Takemura, Y.; Murahashi, K.; Ohtsuka, K.; Furuta, S.

    2014-01-01

    Transparent electrodes were formed on Eu-doped GaN-based red-light-emitting diode (GaN:Eu LED) substrates by the screen printing of indium tin oxide nanoparticle (ITO np) inks as a wet process. The ITO nps with a mean diameter of 25 nm were synthesized by the controlled thermolysis of a mixture of indium complexes and tin complexes. After the direct screen printing of ITO np inks on GaN:Eu LED substrates and sintering at 850 °C for 10 min under atmospheric conditions, the resistivity of the ITO film was 5.2 mΩ cm. The fabricated LED up to 3 mm square surface emitted red light when the on-voltage was exceeded

  12. Direct transparent electrode patterning on layered GaN substrate by screen printing of indium tin oxide nanoparticle ink for Eu-doped GaN red light-emitting diode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kashiwagi, Y., E-mail: kasiwagi@omtri.or.jp; Yamamoto, M.; Saitoh, M.; Takahashi, M.; Ohno, T.; Nakamoto, M. [Osaka Municipal Technical Research Institute, 1-6-50 Morinomiya, Joto-ku, Osaka 536-8553 (Japan); Koizumi, A.; Fujiwara, Y. [Division of Materials and Manufacturing Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Takemura, Y.; Murahashi, K.; Ohtsuka, K. [Okuno Chemical Industries Co., Ltd., 2-1-25 Hanaten-nishi, Joto-ku, Osaka 536-0011 (Japan); Furuta, S. [Tomoe Works Co., Ltd., 7-13 Tsurumachi, Amagasaki 660-0092 (Japan)

    2014-12-01

    Transparent electrodes were formed on Eu-doped GaN-based red-light-emitting diode (GaN:Eu LED) substrates by the screen printing of indium tin oxide nanoparticle (ITO np) inks as a wet process. The ITO nps with a mean diameter of 25 nm were synthesized by the controlled thermolysis of a mixture of indium complexes and tin complexes. After the direct screen printing of ITO np inks on GaN:Eu LED substrates and sintering at 850 °C for 10 min under atmospheric conditions, the resistivity of the ITO film was 5.2 mΩ cm. The fabricated LED up to 3 mm square surface emitted red light when the on-voltage was exceeded.

  13. Stripping chronopotentiometric measurements of lead(II) and cadmium(II) in soils extracts and wastewaters using a bismuth film screen-printed electrode assembly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kadara, Rashid O.; Tothill, Ibtisam E. [Cranfield Biotechnology Centre, Cranfield University, MK45 4DT, Silsoe, Bedfordshire (United Kingdom)

    2004-02-01

    The key to remediative processes is the ability to measure toxic contaminants on-site using simple and cheap sensing devices, which are field-portable and can facilitate more rapid decision-making. A three-electrode configuration system has been fabricated using low-cost screen-printing (thick-film) technology and this coupled with a portable electrochemical instrument has provided a a relatively inexpensive on-site detector for trace levels of toxic metals. The carbon surface of the screen-printed working electrode is used as a substrate for in situ deposition of a metallic film of bismuth, which allows the electrochemical preconcentration of metal ions. Lead and cadmium were simultaneously detected using stripping chronopotentiometry at the bismuth film electrode. Detection limits of 8 and 10 ppb were obtained for cadmium(II) and lead(II), respectively, for a deposition time of 120 s. The developed method was applied to the determination of lead and cadmium in soils extracts and wastewaters obtained from polluted sites. For comparison purposes, a mercury film electrode and ICP-MS were also used for validation. (orig.)

  14. Facile synthesis of Prussian blue nanocubes/silver nanowires network as a water-based ink for the direct screen-printed flexible biosensor chips.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Pengqi; Peng, Jingmeng; Chu, Zhenyu; Jiang, Danfeng; Jin, Wanqin

    2017-06-15

    The large-scale fabrication of nanocomposite based biosensors is always a challenge in the technology commercialization from laboratory to industry. In order to address this issue, we have designed a facile chemical method of fabricated nanocomposite ink applied to the screen-printed biosensor chip. This ink can be derived in the water through the in-situ growth of Prussian blue nanocubes (PBNCs) on the silver nanowires (AgNWs) to construct a composite nanostructure by a facile chemical method. Then a miniature flexible biosensor chip was screen-printed by using the prepared nanocomposite ink. Due to the synergic effects of the large specific surface area, high conductivity and electrocatalytic activity from AgNWs and PBNCs, the as-prepared biosensor chip exhibited a fast response (biosensor chip exhibited excellent stability, good reproducibility and high anti-interference ability towards physiological substances under a very low working potential of -0.05. Hence, the proposed biosensor chip also showed a promising potential for the application in practical analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Compliance monitoring system using screen printing technology based on conductive ink.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoshi, Kenji; Kawakami, Junko; Aoki, Sorama; Hamada, Kouji; Sato, Kenichi

    2012-01-01

    We developed a compliance monitoring system that electrically detects which drug among the multiple prescribed drugs a patient has taken and the date of drug-taking by a patient to prevent the patient from missing doses and taking drugs incorrectly at home. A conductive pattern is screen printed using conductive ink (silver paste) on the surface of a calendar-type pill organizer containing medications for as long as 1 week (4 times per day × 7 days, 28 doses) to create a sensor for detecting the opening of a pill organizer. Whenever the patient opens the pill organizer and removes a dose of the drug (pill), information about which of the 28 locations is opened and the date of opening are recorded in nonvolatile memory. This system is applicable to patients who take multiple drugs, for whom recording of drug-taking behavior is reportedly difficult. Specific benefits are that the user needs no additional manipulation to use the system: the user can take the drug from the pill organizer according to usual procedures.

  16. Ultrasonic properties of all-printed piezoelectric polymer transducers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagle, Sanat; Decharat, Adit; Bodö, Peter; Melandsø, Frank

    2013-12-01

    The ability of producing ultrasonic transducers from screen-printing has been explored experimentally, through printing and characterization of a large number of transducers. In an all-printed test design, 124 transducers with four different electrode sizes ranging from 1 to 4.9 mm2, were printed layer-by-layer on a high performance polyethyleneimine polymer. Inks from ferroelectric and conductive polymers were applied to the active part of a transducer, to provide a good acoustical match between the individual layers. Ultrasonic characterizations of the transducers done by two independent methods provided a broad-banded frequency response with a maximum response around 100 MHz.

  17. A Wearable Textile 2D Touchpad Sensor Based on Screen-Printing Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferri, Josue; Lidón-Roger, Jose Vicente; Moreno, Jorge; Martinez, Gabriel; Garcia-Breijo, Eduardo

    2017-12-20

    Among many of the designs used in the detection of 2D gestures for portable technology, the touchpad is one of the most complex and with more functions to implement. Its development has undergone a great push due to its use in displays, but it is not widely used with other technologies. Its application on textiles could allow a wide range of applications in the field of medicine, sports, etc. Obtaining a flexible, robust touchpad with good response and low cost is one of the objectives of this work. A textile touchpad based on a diamond pattern design using screen printing technology has been developed. This technology is widely used in the textile industry and therefore does not require heavy investments. The developed prototypes were analyzed using a particular controller for projected capacitive technologies (pro-cap), which is the most used in gesture detection. Two different designs were used to obtain the best configuration, obtaining a good result in both cases.

  18. Application to printed resistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hachiyanagi, Yoshimi; Uraki, Hisatsugu; Sawamura, Masashi

    1989-01-01

    Most of printed circuit boards are made at present by etching copper foils which are laminated on insulating composite boards of paper/phenol resin or glass nonwoven fabric/epoxy rein. This is called subtractive process, and since this is a wet process, the problem of coping with the pollution due to etching solution, plating solution and others is involved. As the method of solving this problem, attention has been paid to the dry process which forms conductor patterns by screen printing using electro-conductive paste. For such resin substrates, generally polymer thick films (PTF) using thermosetting resin as the binder are used. Also the research on the formation of resistors, condensers and other parts by printing using the technology of cermet thick films (CTF) and PTF is active, and it is partially put in practical use. The problems are the deformation and deterioration of substrates, therefore, as the countermeasures, electron beam hardening type PTF has been studied, and various pastes have been developed. In this paper, electron beam hardening type printed resistors are reported. The features, resistance paste, and a number of the experiments on printed resistors are described. (K.I.)

  19. Chip-based generation of carbon nanodots via electrochemical oxidation of screen printed carbon electrodes and the applications for efficient cell imaging and electrochemiluminescence enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yuanhong; Liu, Jingquan; Zhang, Jizhen; Zong, Xidan; Jia, Xiaofang; Li, Dan; Wang, Erkang

    2015-06-07

    A portable lab-on-a-chip methodology to generate ionic liquid-functionalized carbon nanodots (CNDs) was developed via electrochemical oxidation of screen printed carbon electrodes. The CNDs can be successfully applied for efficient cell imaging and solid-state electrochemiluminescence sensor fabrication on the paper-based chips.

  20. Fully printed metabolite sensor using organic electrochemical transistor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheiblin, Gaëtan; Aliane, Abdelkader; Coppard, Romain; Owens, Róisín. M.; Mailley, Pascal; Malliaras, George G.

    2015-08-01

    As conducting polymer based devices, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are suited for printing process. The convenience of the screen-printing techniques allowed us to design and fabricate OECTs with a selected design and using different gate material. Depending on the material used, we were able to tune the transistor for different biological application. Ag/AgCl gate provided transistor with good transconductance, and electrochemical sensitivity to pH was provided by polyaniline ink. Finally, we validate the enzymatic sensing of glucose and lactate with a Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) gate often used due to its biocompatible properties. The screen-printing process allowed us to fabricate a large amount of devices in a short period of time, using only commercially available grades of ink, showing by this way the possible transfer to industrial purpose.

  1. Effect of hydrophobic microstructured surfaces on conductive ink printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Seunghwan; Kang, Hyun Wook; Lee, Kyung Heon; Sung, Hyung Jin

    2011-01-01

    Conductive ink was printed on various microstructured substrates to measure the printing quality. Poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates were used to test the printability of the hydrophobic surface material. Microstructured arrays of 10 µm regular PDMS cubes were prepared using the MEMS fabrication technique. The gap distance between the cubes was varied from 10 to 40 µm. The printing wettability of the microstructured surfaces was determined by measuring the contact angle of a droplet of silver conductive ink. Screen-printing methods were used in the conductive line printing experiment. Test line patterns with finely varying widths (30–250 µm) were printed repeatedly, and the conductivity of the printed lines was measured. The printability, which was defined as the ratio of the successfully printed patterns to the total number of printed patterns, was analyzed as a function of the linewidth and the gap distance of the microstructured surfaces

  2. Development of disposable bulk-modified screen-printed electrode based on bismuth oxide for stripping chronopotentiometric analysis of lead (II) and cadmium (II) in soil and water samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadara, Rashid O.; Tothill, Ibtisam E.

    2008-01-01

    A bulk-modified screen-printed carbon electrode characterised for metal ion detection is presented. Bismuth oxide (Bi 2 O 3 ) was mixed with graphite-carbon ink to obtain the modified electrode. The best composition was 2% Bi 2 O 3 (wt%) in the graphite-carbon ink. The modified electrode with onboard screen-printed carbon counter and silver-silver chloride pseudo-reference electrodes exhibited good performance in the electrochemical measurement of lead (II) and cadmium (II). The electrode displayed excellent linear behaviour in the concentration range examined (20-300 μg L -1 ) with limits of detection of 8 and 16 μg L -1 for both lead (II) and cadmium (II), respectively. The analytical utility of the modified electrode was illustrated by the stripping chronopotentiometric determinations of lead (II) in soil extracts and wastewater samples

  3. Screen-Printed Graphite Electrodes as Low-Cost Devices for Oxygen Gas Detection in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junqiao Lee

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Screen-printed graphite electrodes (SPGEs have been used for the first time as platforms to detect oxygen gas in room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs. Up until now, carbon-based SPEs have shown inferior behaviour compared to platinum and gold SPEs for gas sensing with RTIL solvents. The electrochemical reduction of oxygen (O2 in a range of RTILs has therefore been explored on home-made SPGEs, and is compared to the behaviour on commercially-available carbon SPEs (C-SPEs. Six common RTILs are initially employed for O2 detection using cyclic voltammetry (CV, and two RTILs ([C2mim][NTf2] and [C4mim][PF6] chosen for further detailed analytical studies. Long-term chronoamperometry (LTCA was also performed to test the ability of the sensor surface for real-time gas monitoring. Both CV and LTCA gave linear calibration graphs—for CV in the 10–100% vol. range, and for LTCA in the 0.1–20% vol. range—on the SPGE. The responses on the SPGE were far superior to the commercial C-SPEs; more instability in the electrochemical responses were observed on the C-SPEs, together with some breaking-up or dissolution of the electrode surface materials. This study highlights that not all screen-printed ink formulations are compatible with RTIL solvents for longer-term electrochemical experiments, and that the choice of RTIL is also important. Overall, the low-cost SPGEs appear to be promising platforms for the detection of O2, particularly in [C4mim][PF6].

  4. Structural, optical and gas sensing properties of screen-printed nanostructured Sr-doped SnO2 thick film sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaikh, F.I.; Chikhale, L.P.; Patil, J.Y.; Rajgure, A.V.; Suryavanshi, S.S.; Mulla, I.S.

    2013-01-01

    The nanocrystalline materials of strontium doped tin oxide powders were synthesized by conventional co-precipitation method. Synthesized nanophase SnO 2 powders were used to fabricate thick films of pure and Sr-doped SnO 2 using screen-printing technology and investigated for their gas sensing properties towards LPG, ethanol, ammonia and acetone vapor. The crystal structure and phase of the sintered powders were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and microstructure by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All the doped and undoped SnO 2 compositions revealed single phase and solid solution formation. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results indicated that well crystallized Sr-doped SnO 2 particles of size about 10 nm were obtained at sintering temperature 700℃. The optical properties viz. UV-Vis, FTIR and Raman were used to characterize various physico-chemical properties of samples. The reduction of grain size in metal oxide is a key factor to enhance the gas sensing properties. The doping of Sr in SnO 2 has reduced the grain size and improved the gas response. The results of gas sensing measurements showed that the thick films deposited on alumina substrates using screen-printing technique exhibited high gas response, quick response time and fast recovery time to acetone gas at a working temperature of 250℃. Further, the selectivity of sensor towards acetone with respect to other reducing gases (LPG, ethanol, ammonia) was studied. (author)

  5. Inkjet Printing of Back Electrodes for Inverted Polymer Solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Angmo, Dechan; Sweelssen, Jorgen; Andriessen, Ronn

    2013-01-01

    in an otherwise fast roll-to-roll production line. In this paper, the applicability of inkjet printing in the ambient processing of back electrodes in inverted polymer solar cells with the structure ITO/ZnO/P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS/ Ag is investigated. Furthermore, the limitation of screen printing, the commonly......Evaporation is the most commonly used deposition method in the processing of back electrodes in polymer solar cells used in scientifi c studies. However, vacuum-based methods such as evaporation are uneconomical in the upscaling of polymer solar cells as they are throughput limiting steps...... employed method in the ambient processing of back electrode, is demonstrated and discussed. Both inkjet printing and screen printing of back electrodes are studied for their impact on the photovoltaic properties of the polymer solar cells measured under 1000 Wm−2 AM1.5. Each ambient processing technique...

  6. Carbon Nanotube Modified Screen Printed Electrodes: Pyranose Oxidase Immobilization Platform for Amperometric Enzyme Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilek ODACI DEMIRKOL

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Here, a novel enzymatic biosensor was developed using multiwalled carbon nanotube including screen printed electrodes (MWCNT-SPE. Pyranose oxidase (PyOx was immobilized on the electrode surface by way of gelatin membrane and then cross-linked using glutaraldehyde. Glucose was detected at -0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl by watching consumed oxygen in enzymatic reaction after addition substrate. After optimization of pH and enzyme loading, the linearity was found in the range of 0.1–1.0 mM of glucose. After that, the effect of MCNT on the current was tested. Also the enzymatic biosensor including glucose oxidase instead of pyranose oxidase was prepared and the biosensor response followed for glucose. Furthermore, this system was tested for glucose analysis in soft drinks.

  7. Development of conventional and single-chamber planar solid oxide fuel cells by screen-printing; Developpement de piles a combustible de type SOFC, conventionnelles et mono-chambres, en technologie planaire par serigraphie

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rotureau, D.

    2005-06-15

    This work is the first of a new research theme of the laboratory in the field of solid oxide planar fuel cells. With his high experience in the sensor field, the objectives were to realize prototypes using a 'low cost' technology like screen-printing, using classical materials in the field of fuel cells, rather than researching new materials having optimum properties which may be damaged during the realisation of the complete fuel cell. These materials are yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ) for electrolyte, strontium doped lanthanum manganite (LSM) for cathode and a nickel oxide-YSZ cermet (NiO-YSZ) for anode. The first part of the study consists in structural and electrical characterizations of chosen materials, both on dense pellets and on screen-printed layers of YSZ, LSM or NiO-YSZ. These characterizations showed a good adequation of our materials for a fuel cell application. The second part consists in testing realised prototypes on electrolyte support and on anode support with screen-printed electrodes and electrolyte. The weak obtained performances are mainly due to the low functional temperature (800 C), the thickness of the electrolyte support (about 1 mm) and the porosity of the YSZ screen-printed layers. Finally, we tested in the same time an original device in which both electrodes are exposed to a fuel and air mixture. This promising device inspired from the research on potentiometric sensors developed in the team by N. Guillet (2001), avoids the tightness problem encountered with two gaseous chambers. Moreover, the performances obtained are just twice below than those obtained with a conventional fuel cell with two gaseous chambers. (author)

  8. A novel disposable electrochemical sensor for determination of carbamazepine based on Fe doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles modified screen-printed carbon electrode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lavanya, N. [Department of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, TN (India); Department of Electronic Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Engineering, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy); Sekar, C., E-mail: Sekar2025@gmail.com [Department of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, TN (India); Ficarra, S.; Tellone, E. [Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy); Bonavita, A.; Leonardi, S.G.; Neri, G. [Department of Electronic Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Engineering, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy)

    2016-05-01

    An effective strategy to fabricate a novel disposable screen printing carbon electrode modified by iron doped tin dioxide nanoparticles for carbamazepine (CBZ) detection has been developed. Fe–SnO{sub 2} (Fe = 0 to 5 wt.%) NPs were synthesized by a simple microwave irradiation method and assessed for their structural and morphological changes due to Fe doping into SnO{sub 2} matrix by X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical behaviour of carbamazepine at the Fe–SnO{sub 2} modified screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. Electron transfer coefficient α (0.63) and electron transfer rate constant k{sub s} (0.69 s{sup −1}) values of the 5 wt.% Fe–SnO{sub 2} modified SPCE indicate that the diffusion controlled process takes place on the electrode surface. The fabricated sensor displayed a good electrooxidation response towards the detection of CBZ at a lower oxidation potential of 0.8 V in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor showed fast and sensitive current response to CBZ over a wide linear range of 0.5–100 μM with a low detection limit of 92 nM. Furthermore, the practical application of the modified electrode has been investigated by the determination of CBZ in pharmaceutical products using standard addition method. - Highlights: • A novel mediator-free disposable screen printed carbon electrode has been fabricated based on Fe- SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles for determination of carbamazepine • The Fe-SnO{sub 2}/SPCE showed wide linear range (0.5–100 μM), low detection limit (92 nM), high sensitivity, good stability and reproducibility. • The carbamazepine sensor was successfully applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical products with satisfactory recoveries.

  9. All-printed paper memory

    KAUST Repository

    Lien, Derhsien

    2014-08-26

    We report the memory device on paper by means of an all-printing approach. Using a sequence of inkjet and screen-printing techniques, a simple metal-insulator-metal device structure is fabricated on paper as a resistive random access memory with a potential to reach gigabyte capacities on an A4 paper. The printed-paper-based memory devices (PPMDs) exhibit reproducible switching endurance, reliable retention, tunable memory window, and the capability to operate under extreme bending conditions. In addition, the PBMD can be labeled on electronics or living objects for multifunctional, wearable, on-skin, and biocompatible applications. The disposability and the high-security data storage of the paper-based memory are also demonstrated to show the ease of data handling, which are not achievable for regular silicon-based electronic devices. We envision that the PPMDs manufactured by this cost-effective and time-efficient all-printing approach would be a key electronic component to fully activate a paper-based circuit and can be directly implemented in medical biosensors, multifunctional devices, and self-powered systems. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

  10. Fabrication of a Textile-Based Wearable Blood Leakage Sensor Using Screen-Offset Printing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ken-ichi Nomura

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We fabricate a wearable blood leakage sensor on a cotton textile by combining two newly developed techniques. First, we employ a screen-offset printing technique that avoids blurring, short circuiting between adjacent conductive patterns, and electrode fracturing to form an interdigitated electrode structure for the sensor on a textile. Furthermore, we develop a scheme to distinguish blood from other substances by utilizing the specific dielectric dispersion of blood observed in the sub-megahertz frequency range. The sensor can detect blood volumes as low as 15 μL, which is significantly lower than those of commercially available products (which can detect approximately 1 mL of blood and comparable to a recently reported value of approximately 10 μL. In this study, we merge two technologies to develop a more practical skin-friendly sensor that can be applied for safe, stress-free blood leakage monitoring during hemodialysis.

  11. Argon plasma treatment to enhance the electrochemical reactivity of screen-printed carbon surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghamouss, F.; Luais, E. [Universite de Nantes, Faculte des Sciences et des Techniques, Chimie et Interdisciplinarite: Synthese, Analyse, Modelisation (CEISAM), UMR CNRS no 6230, 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3 (France); Universite de Nantes, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel IMN - CNRS, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Thobie-Gautier, C. [Universite de Nantes, Faculte des Sciences et des Techniques, Chimie et Interdisciplinarite: Synthese, Analyse, Modelisation (CEISAM), UMR CNRS no 6230, 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3 (France); Tessier, P.-Y. [Universite de Nantes, Faculte des Sciences et des Techniques, Chimie et Interdisciplinarite: Synthese, Analyse, Modelisation (CEISAM), UMR CNRS no 6230, 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3 (France); Universite de Nantes, Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel IMN - CNRS, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Boujtita, M. [Universite de Nantes, Faculte des Sciences et des Techniques, Chimie et Interdisciplinarite: Synthese, Analyse, Modelisation (CEISAM), UMR CNRS no 6230, 2, rue de la Houssiniere, BP 92208, 44322 NANTES Cedex 3 (France)], E-mail: mohammed.boujtita@univ-nantes.fr

    2009-04-15

    Radiofrequency argon plasma was used for screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) surface treatment. The cyclic voltammetry of ferri/ferrocyanide as redox couple showed a remarkable improvement of the electrochemical reactivity of the SPCE after the plasma treatment. The effect of the plasma growth conditions on the efficiency of the treatment procedure was evaluated in term of electrochemical reactivity of the SPCE surface. The electrochemical study showed that the electrochemical reactivity of the treated electrodes was strongly dependant on radiofrequency power, treatment time and argon gas pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed a considerable evolution on the surface chemistry of the treated electrodes. Our results clearly showed that the argon plasma treatment induces a significant increase in the C{sub sp2}/C{sub sp3} ratio. The scanning electron micrograph (SEM) also showed a drastic change on the surface morphology of the treated SPCEs.

  12. Analysis of laser-printed spatial resolution for mammographic microcalcification detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smathers, R.L.; Kowarski, D.

    1987-01-01

    The detectability of microcalfications in mammograms was compared in Kodak Min-R screen-film mammograms versus digitized laser-printed films. Pulverized bone specks were used as the phantoms to produce the original mammograms. The mammograms were then digitized to a spatial resolution of 2,048 x, 2048 with 4,096 gray levels and laser-printed at spatial resolutions of 512 x 512, 1,024 x 1,024, and 2,048 x 2,048 with 256 gray levels. The number of bone specks was determined on a region-by region basis. The 512 x 512 resolution laser-printed images were nondiagnostic, 1,024 x 1,024 images were better, and 2,048 x 2,048 images were quite comparable to the original screen-film mammograms

  13. All-printed paper-based memory

    KAUST Repository

    He, Jr-Hau; Lin, Chun-Ho; Lien, Der-Hsien

    2016-01-01

    All-printed paper-based substrate memory devices are described which can be prepared by a process that includes coating, using a screen printer, one or more areas of a paper substrate (102) with a conductor material (104), such as a carbon paste

  14. Realization of hexagonal barium ferrite thick films on Si substrates using a screen printing technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yajie; Smith, Ian; Geiler, Anton L; Vittoria, Carmine; Harris, Vincent G; Zagorodnii, Volodymyr; Celinski, Zbigniew

    2008-01-01

    Hexagonal barium ferrite thick films (50-200 μm) have been deposited on Si and Al 2 O 3 /Si substrates using a screen printing technique. X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and magnetometry were used to characterize and correlate the ferrite films' microstructure and magnetic properties. The experiments indicated that an Al 2 O 3 underlayer was effective in preventing silicon diffusion into the barium ferrite films during a final sintering treatment at temperatures above 1100 deg. C. A two-stage sintering process allowed a reasonable tradeoff between mechanical and magnetic properties. This work reveals the feasibility of fabrication of thick ferrite films on large substrates (up to 25 mm in diameter) for future planar microwave devices compatible with semiconductor integrated circuits processing

  15. Development of disposable bulk-modified screen-printed electrode based on bismuth oxide for stripping chronopotentiometric analysis of lead (II) and cadmium (II) in soil and water samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kadara, Rashid O. [Cranfield Health, Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedfordshire MK45 4DT (United Kingdom); School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottinghamshire NG11 8NS (United Kingdom)], E-mail: kayusee2001@yahoo.co.uk; Tothill, Ibtisam E. [Cranfield Health, Cranfield University, Silsoe, Bedfordshire MK45 4DT (United Kingdom)

    2008-08-08

    A bulk-modified screen-printed carbon electrode characterised for metal ion detection is presented. Bismuth oxide (Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}) was mixed with graphite-carbon ink to obtain the modified electrode. The best composition was 2% Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} (wt%) in the graphite-carbon ink. The modified electrode with onboard screen-printed carbon counter and silver-silver chloride pseudo-reference electrodes exhibited good performance in the electrochemical measurement of lead (II) and cadmium (II). The electrode displayed excellent linear behaviour in the concentration range examined (20-300 {mu}g L{sup -1}) with limits of detection of 8 and 16 {mu}g L{sup -1} for both lead (II) and cadmium (II), respectively. The analytical utility of the modified electrode was illustrated by the stripping chronopotentiometric determinations of lead (II) in soil extracts and wastewater samples.

  16. A complete process for production of flexible large area polymer solar cells entirely using screen printing-First public demonstration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krebs, Frederik C; Jørgensen, Mikkel; Norrman, Kion

    2009-01-01

    , complete processing in air using commonly available screen printing, and finally, simple mechanical encapsulation using a flexible packaging material and electrical contacting post-production using crimped contacts. We detail the production of more than 2000 modules in one production run and show......A complete polymer solar cell module prepared in the ambient atmosphere under industrial conditions is presented. The versatility of the polymer solar cell technology is demonstrated through the use of abstract forms for the active area, a flexible substrate, processing entirely from solution...

  17. PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT KEPULAUAN TALANGO KABUPATEN SUMENEP MELALUI USAHA PERCETAKAN DAN SABLON DIGITAL PRINTING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budi Dwi Satoto

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The role of youth in development is very important because it is considered to be in the productive age to support various development activities in various sectors. Most youth can be absorbed in the labor market, and partly eliminated from the competition and become a static group. Not a few who engage in the business world ranging from the small to large, one form of business that is highly demanded by the youth is the Small and Medium Enterprises and Silk Screen Printing. However, the form of efforts among youth most still use manual design and printing due to lack of capital and expertise. With this activity, try to solve them with IBM is working with partners Silk Screen Printing Industry centers in villages Talango, Talango islands, Sumenep, Disperindag and local cooperative activities such as application of digital printing techniques, the design theme oflocal wisdom Madura images with coloror multi color mono color and entrepreneurship training and business management. IBM activity was done in the form of training, coaching and mentoring the youth group field of screen printing and printing for souvenirs and handicrafts which aims to: 1 increase the motivation of entrepreneurial partners; 2 improve the understanding of partner business planning and business management; 3 improve human resource capabilities in the production and marketing techniques; 4 develop a network to support youth entrepreneurship development of the creative economy. Youth empowerment group is expected to produce a model that can be used as a model youth entrepreneurial development youth empowerment-based society.Keywords: training, coaching, mentoring, printingandscreen printing, digital printing

  18. Immobilization of Acetylcholinesterase on Screen-Printed Electrodes. Application to the Determination of Arsenic(III

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Julia Arcos-Martínez

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Enzymatic amperometric procedures for measuring arsenic, based on the inhibitive action of this metal on acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity, have been developed. Screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs were used with acetylcholinesterase covalently bonded directly to its surface. The amperometric response of acetylcholinesterase was affected by the presence of arsenic ions, which caused a decrease in the current intensity. The experimental optimum working conditions of pH, substrate concentration and potential applied, were established. Under these conditions, repeatability and reproducibility of biosensors were determined, reaching values below 4% in terms of relative standard deviation. The detection limit obtained for arsenic was 1.1 × 10−8 M for Ach/SPCE biosensor. Analysis of the possible effect of the presence of foreign ions in the solution was performed. The method was applied to determine levels of arsenic in spiked tap water samples.

  19. Voltammetric Determination of Anti-Hypertensive Drug Hydrochlorothiazide Using Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with L-Glutamic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camilo González-Vargas

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This work deals with the development of screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with L-glutamic acid via two different approaches: electropolymerization (SPCE/PGA and aryl diazonium electrochemical grafting (SPCE/EGA. SPCE/PGA and SPCE/EGA were analytically compared in the determination of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ by differential pulse voltammetry. Both electrochemical characterization and analytical performance indicate that SPCE/EGA is a much better sensor for HCTZ. The detection and quantification limits were at the level of μmol L−1 with a very good linearity in the studied concentration range. In addition, the proposed SPCE/EGA was successfully applied for the determination of HCTZ in an anti-hypertensive drug with high reproducibility and good trueness.

  20. Amperometric biosensor based on prussian blue and nafion modified screen-printed electrode for screening of potential xanthine oxidase inhibitors from medicinal plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Harrad, Loubna; Amine, Aziz

    2016-04-01

    A simple and sensitive amperometric biosensor was developed for the screening of potential xanthine oxidase inhibitors from medicinal plants. This biosensor was prepared by immobilization of xanthine oxidase on the surface of prussian blue modified screen-printed electrodes using nafion and glutaraldehyde. The developed biosensor showed a linear amperometric response at an applied potential of +0.05 V toward the detection of hypoxanthine from 5 μM to 45 μM with a detection limit of 0.4 μM (S/N=3) and its sensitivity was found to be 600 mA M(-1) cm(-2). In addition, the biosensor exhibited a good storage stability. The inhibition of xanthine oxidase by allopurinol was studied under the optimized conditions. The linear range of allopurinol concentration is obtained up to 2.5 μM with an estimated 50% of inhibitionI50=1.8 μM. The developed biosensor was successfully applied to the screening of xanthine oxidase inhibitors from 13 medicinal plants belonging to different families. Indeed, Moroccan people traditionally use these plants as infusion for the treatment of gout and its related symptoms. For this purpose, water extracts obtained from the infusion of these plants were used for the experiments. In this work, 13 extracts were assayed and several of them demonstrated xanthine oxidase inhibitory effect, with an inhibition greater than 50% compared to spectrophotometry measurements that only few extracts showed an inhibition greater than 50%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Novel screen printed electrode set for routine EEG recordings in patients with altered mental status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myllymaa, Sami; Lepola, Pasi; Hukkanen, Taina; Oun, Andre; Mervaala, Esa; Toyras, Juha; Lappalainen, Reijo; Myllymaa, Katja

    2013-01-01

    There is a growing need for an easy to use screening tool for the assessment of brain's electrical function in patients with altered mental status (AMS). The purpose of this study is to give a brief overview of the state-of-the-art in electrode technology, and to present a novel sub-hairline electrode set developed in our research group. Screen-printing technology was utilized to construct the electrode set consisting of ten electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes, two electrooculography (EOG) electrodes, two ground electrodes and two reference electrodes. Electrical characteristics of hydrogel-coated silver ink electrodes were found adequate for clinical EEG recordings as assessed by electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The skin-electrode impedances remain stable and low enough at least two days enabling high-quality long-term recordings. Due to the proper material selection, thin ink layers and detachable zero insertion force (ZIF) - connector, electrode was observed to be CT- and MRI-compatible allowing imaging without removing the electrodes. Pilot EEG recordings gave very promising results and an on-going clinical trial with larger number of patients will show the true feasibility of this approach.

  2. Electrochemical determination of glutathione in plasma at carbon nanotubes based screen printed electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turunc, Ezgi; Karadeniz, Hakan; Armagan, Guliz; Erdem, Arzum; Yalcin, Ayfer

    2013-11-01

    Glutathione (GSH) is a major endogenous antioxidant highly active in human tissues and plays a key role in controlling cellular thiol redox system, maintaining the immune and detoxification system. The determination of GSH levels in tissue is important to estimate endogenous defenses against oxidative stress. In our study, the multi-walled carbon nanotube modified screen-printed electrodes (MWCNT-SPEs) were used to determine the levels of GSH in trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-treated or untreated samples of rat plasma. It was found that the deproteinization of samples with TCA improved the electrochemical detection of GSH particularly in plasma. The oxidation of GSH was measured by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method in combination with MWCNT-SPE (n=3), and the detection limit of GSH was found to be 0.47 µM (S/N=3). The GSH levels in plasma samples were also measured spectrophotometrically in order to compare the effectiveness of electrochemical method and we obtained a high correlation between the two methods (R(2)=0.976).

  3. Nd:YAG laser annealing investigation of screen-printed CIGS layer on PET: Layer annealing method for photovoltaic cell fabrication process

    KAUST Repository

    Alsaggaf, Ahmed

    2014-06-01

    Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) ink was formulated from CIGS powder, polyvinyl butyral PVB, terpineol and polyester/polyamine co-polymeric dispersant KD-1. Thin films with different thicknesses were deposited on PET substrate using screen-printing followed by heat treatment using a Nd:YAG laser. The structure and morphology of the heated thin films were studied. The characterization of the CIGS powder, ink, and film was done using TGA, SEM, FIB, EDS, and XRD. TGA analysis shows that the CIGS ink is drying at 200 °C, which is well below the decomposition temperature of the PET substrate. It was observed by SEM that 20 pulses of 532nm and 60 mJ/cm2 Nd:YAG laser annealing causes atomic diffusion on the near surface area. Furthermore, FIB cross section images were utilized to monitor the effect of laser annealing in the depth of the layer. Laser annealing effects were compared to as deposited layer using XRD in reference to CIGS powder. The measurement shows that crystallinity of deposited CIGS is retained while EDS quantification and atomic ratio result in gradual loss of selenium as laser energy increases. The laser parameters were tuned in an effort to utilize laser annealing of screen-printed CIGS layer as a layer annealing method for solar cell fabrication process.

  4. Quantitative analysis and optimization of gravure printed metal ink, dielectric, and organic semiconductor films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgins, Stuart G; Boughey, Francesca L; Hills, Russell; Steinke, Joachim H G; Muir, Beinn V O; Campbell, Alasdair J

    2015-03-11

    Here we demonstrate the optimization of gravure printed metal ink, dielectric, and semiconductor formulations. We present a technique for nondestructively imaging printed films using a commercially available flatbed scanner, combined with image analysis to quantify print behavior. Print speed, cliché screen density, nip pressure, the orientation of print structures, and doctor blade extension were found to have a significant impact on the quality of printed films, as characterized by the spreading of printed structures and variation in print homogeneity. Organic semiconductor prints were observed to exhibit multiple periodic modulations, which are correlated to the underlying cell structure.

  5. Current Trends on Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications of Inkjet Printing Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scoutaris, Nicolaos; Ross, Steven; Douroumis, Dennis

    2016-08-01

    Inkjet printing is an attractive material deposition and patterning technology that has received significant attention in the recent years. It has been exploited for novel applications including high throughput screening, pharmaceutical formulations, medical devices and implants. Moreover, inkjet printing has been implemented in cutting-edge 3D-printing healthcare areas such as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Recent inkjet advances enabled 3D printing of artificial cartilage and skin, or cell constructs for transplantation therapies. In the coming years inkjet printing is anticipated to revolutionize personalized medicine and push the innovation portfolio by offering new paths in patient - specific treatments.

  6. Grey Balance Colorimetry of the Automatically Guided Printing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Zjakic

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Apart from visual control, it is possible to controll the ink on a print by means of auxilliary instruments - densitometer, colorimeter and spectral photometer.One of the problems in offset printing reproduction is the inconstancy of theink flow and ink consumption during the run printing. This problem appears because of the change of ink viscosity, the change of ink temperature, the change of fountain solution quantity in ink, the change of printing speed etc.This article shows the measurements of the chromatic values performed by spectral photometer on the control - signal strip from the very beginning of the run printing till 20000th print. Gray balance (CMY by means of CIE L*a*b* system has been investigated. Densitometric values of the solid area, the growth of the screen values and doubling-shear have been determined. The results of the spectrophotometric measurements of gray balance and the densitometric measurements of the solid tint have been analyzed.

  7. Fabrication, characterization and screen printing of conductive ink based on carbon@Ag core-shell nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wei; Yang, Shuanglei; Zhang, Shaofeng; Zhang, Hongbo; Jiang, Changzhong

    2014-08-01

    The large-scale synthesis and characterization of carbon-core/Ag-shell (C@Ag) nanoparticles by the successive reduction of silver ammonia are described. The resultant C@Ag nanoparticles had a mean core diameter of 360 nm and a controllable shell thickness from 10 to 40 nm by simple adjustments of repeat coating times. Various analysis techniques confirmed that the carbon cores were fully covered by Ag nanoshells. The results also show that C/Ag composite nanomaterials-based conductive inks, which can be easily produced on a large scale and possess outstanding electronic properties, have great potential for the convenient fabrication of flexible and low-cost carbon-based electronic devices and replace the traditional pure silver paste, by using a simple screen printing technique. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Electron field emission from screen-printed graphene/DWCNT composite films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Jinzhuo; Pan, Rong; Chen, Yiwei; Piao, Xianqin; Qian, Min; Feng, Tao; Sun, Zhuo

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► The field emission performance improved significantly when adding graphene into DWCNTs as the emission material. ► We set up a model of pure DWCNT films and graphene/DWCNT composite films. ► We discussed the contact barrier between emission films and electric substrates by considering the Fermi energies of silver, DWCNT and graphene. - Abstract: The electron field emission properties of graphene/double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) composite films prepared by screen printing have been systematically studied. Comparing with the pure DWCNT films and pure graphene films, a significant enhancement of electron emission performance of the composite films are observed, such as lower turn-on field, higher emission current density, higher field enhancement factor, and long-term stability. The optimized composite films with 20% weight ratio of graphene show the best electron emission performance with a low turn-on field of 0.62 V μm −1 (at 1 μA cm −2 ) and a high field enhancement factor β of 13,000. A model of the graphene/DWCNT composite films is proposed, which indicate that a certain amount of graphene will contribute the electron transmission in the silver substrate/composite films interface and in the interior of composite films, and finally improve the electron emission performance of the graphene/DWCNT composite films.

  9. Templated Dry Printing of Conductive Metal Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolfe, David Alexander

    Printed electronics can lower the cost and increase the ubiquity of electrical components such as batteries, sensors, and telemetry systems. Unfortunately, the advance of printed electronics has been held back by the limited minimum resolution, aspect ratio, and feature fidelity of present printing techniques such as gravure, screen printing and inkjet printing. Templated dry printing offers a solution to these problems by patterning nanoparticle inks into templates before drying. This dissertation shows advancements in two varieties of templated dry nanoprinting. The first, advective micromolding in vapor-permeable templates (AMPT) is a microfluidic approach that uses evaporation-driven mold filling to create submicron features with a 1:1 aspect ratio. We will discuss submicron surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators made through this process, and the refinement process in the template manufacturing process necessary to make these devices. We also present modeling techniques that can be applied to future AMPT templates. We conclude with a modified templated dry printing that improves throughput and isolated feature patterning by transferring dry-templated features with laser ablation. This method utilizes surface energy-defined templates to pattern features via doctor blade coating. Patterned and dried features can be transferred to a polymer substrate with an Nd:YAG MOPA fiber laser, and printed features can be smaller than the laser beam width.

  10. Development of conductive coated polyester film as RPC electrodes using screen printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalmani, S.D.; Mondal, N.K.; Satyanarayana, B.; Verma, P.; Datar, V.M.

    2009-01-01

    Each of the three 16 kton ICAL detector modules at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) will use RPCs as the active element, sandwiched between 6 cm thick soft iron plates, for measurements on atmospheric neutrinos. The electrodes of the RPC are float glass sheets having a volume resistivity of about 10 12 -10 13 Ω cm (at room temperature) covered with carbon/graphite or a conductive paint with a surface resistivity of ∼800 kΩ/square to 1 MΩ/square to apply high voltage on the glass surface, so that this surface does not shield the discharge signal from the external pickup plates and is small compared to the resistivity of the glass to provide a uniform potential across the entire surface. We initially coated the surface with locally available graphite powder, mixed with lacquer and thinner, and were able to get a few hundred kΩ/square resistivity. However, we observed a drastic reduction in surface resistivity with time and it came unstuck from the glass. Subsequently a conductive paint developed by Kansai-Nerolac was used. This paint uses modified acrylic resin as binder, conductive black pigment and solvents, which include aromatic hydrocarbons and alcohols. At room temperature, the surface dries in 10 minutes, while complete drying takes ∼18 hours. The spraying is done at a pressure of 4 kg/cm 2 with the glass plate kept at a distance of 8-10 in. Using this paint, we are able to achieve the required resistance of ∼ few hundred kΩ/square. We still need to study the long term stability and best curing method. We need to automate the procedure to get a uniform coat and to coat a large number of glasses for the final detector. While robotic systems are available abroad costing about 5 000 000 rupees, we are exploring other alternatives. In particular, we are in the process of developing a polyester film, with a conductive coating on one side, which can be glued on to the glass. The coating was done using on a local commercial screen printing

  11. Development of conductive coated polyester film as RPC electrodes using screen printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalmani, S. D.; Mondal, N. K.; Satyanarayana, B.; Verma, P.; Datar, V. M.

    2009-05-01

    Each of the three 16 kton ICAL detector modules at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) will use RPCs as the active element, sandwiched between 6 cm thick soft iron plates, for measurements on atmospheric neutrinos. The electrodes of the RPC are float glass sheets having a volume resistivity of about 10 12-10 13 Ω cm (at room temperature) covered with carbon/graphite or a conductive paint with a surface resistivity of ˜800 kΩ/square to 1 MΩ/square to apply high voltage on the glass surface, so that this surface does not shield the discharge signal from the external pickup plates and is small compared to the resistivity of the glass to provide a uniform potential across the entire surface. We initially coated the surface with locally available graphite powder, mixed with lacquer and thinner, and were able to get a few hundred kΩ/square resistivity. However, we observed a drastic reduction in surface resistivity with time and it came unstuck from the glass. Subsequently a conductive paint developed by Kansai-Nerolac was used. This paint uses modified acrylic resin as binder, conductive black pigment and solvents, which include aromatic hydrocarbons and alcohols. At room temperature, the surface dries in 10 minutes, while complete drying takes ˜18 hours. The spraying is done at a pressure of 4 kg/cm 2 with the glass plate kept at a distance of 8-10 in. Using this paint, we are able to achieve the required resistance of ˜ few hundred kΩ/square. We still need to study the long term stability and best curing method. We need to automate the procedure to get a uniform coat and to coat a large number of glasses for the final detector. While robotic systems are available abroad costing about 5 000 000 rupees, we are exploring other alternatives. In particular, we are in the process of developing a polyester film, with a conductive coating on one side, which can be glued on to the glass. The coating was done using on a local commercial screen printing machine

  12. Low temperature growth of carbon nanotubes on printing electrodes by MPCVD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, K.-C.; Chen, C.-F.; Chiang, J.-S.; Hwang, C.-L.; Chang, Y.-Y.; Lee, C.-C.

    2006-01-01

    In this work, combination of screen-printing process and microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (MPCVD) was applied to fabricate patterned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the cathode electrodes on glass substrates. Solution based Ni catalyst was well-mixed with Ag powders and organic binder materials to form screen printed paste. CNTs were then grown under the atmosphere of CH 4 /H 2 gas mixture below 550 deg. C. In the field emission measurement, the turn-on field was 3.2 V/μm and uniform electron emission image was also observed

  13. 3D Printed Electroluminescent Light Panels - FY17

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Task 1: Construct EL devices using both commercially available inks and MSFC developed inks starting with screen-printing methods as a baseline Task 2:...

  14. A comparative Study of Aptasensor Vs Immunosensor for Label-Free PSA Cancer Detection on GQDs-AuNRs Modified Screen-Printed Electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Monika; Nirala, Narsingh R; Srivastava, S K; Prakash, Rajiv

    2018-01-31

    Label-free and sensitive detection of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is still a big challenge in the arena of prostate cancer diagnosis in males. We present a comparative study for label-free PSA aptasensor and PSA immunosensor for the PSA-specific monoclonal antibody, based on graphene quantum dots-gold nanorods (GQDs-AuNRs) modified screen-printed electrodes. GQDs-AuNRs composite has been synthesized and used as an electro-active material, which shows fast electron transfer and catalytic property. Aptamer or anti-PSA has immobilized onto the surface of modified screen printed electrodes. Three techniques are used simultaneously, viz. cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedence spectroscopy (EIS) to investigate the analytical performance of both PSA aptasensor and PSA immunosensor with its corresponding PSA antigen. Under optimum conditions, both sensors show comparable results with an almost same limit of detection (LOD) of 0.14 ng mL -1 . The results developed with aptasensor and anti-PSA is also checked through the detection of PSA in real samples with acceptable results. Our study suggests some advantages of aptasensor in terms of better stability, simplicity and cost effectiveness. Further our present work shows enormous potential of our developed sensors for real application using voltammetric and EIS techniques simultaneous to get reliable detection of the disease.

  15. Differences in perceived difficulty in print and online patient education materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farnsworth, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Written patient education materials frequently exceed the reading ability of the general public. Patients are often intimidated by the task of reading patient education materials, perceiving the materials’ difficulty levels as prohibitive, even when they do not exceed the patients’ reading abilities. It is unclear how the delivery mechanism--print or a computer screen--affects a patient’s reading experience through his/her perception of its difficulty. To determine whether first-year college students perceived online or print-based patient education materials as more difficult to read. Convenience sampling of first-year college students. Some first-year college students perceived online patient education materials to be more difficult to read than print-based ones--even when the reading level of the patient education materials was similar. Demographic information about this sample’s high levels of digital literacy suggests that other populations might also perceive online patient education materials as more difficult to read than print-based equivalents. Patients’ perceptions of the difficulty of patient education materials influenced their ability to effectively learn from those materials. This article concludes with a call for more research into patients’ perceptions of difficulty of patient education materials in print vs on a screen.

  16. Electrochemical detection of short HIV sequences on chitosan/Fe3O4 nanoparticle based screen printed electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran, Lam Dai; Nguyen, Binh Hai; Van Hieu, Nguyen; Tran, Hoang Vinh; Nguyen, Huy Le; Nguyen, Phuc Xuan

    2011-01-01

    In this study, a novel CS/Fe 3 O 4 nanobiocomposite-based platform for electrochemical detection of HIV-1 was developed. The most attractive feature of this system is a suitable microenvironment (Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles) which could contribute to electron transfer and thus sensitivity enhancement when using methylene blue (MB) as an external mediator and Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The proposed screen printed electrode (SPE) had a low detection limit (as low as 50 pM), acceptable stability and good reproducibility, which would be valuable for clinical diagnosis. In addition, this sensing interface may be feasibly adapted for multiplexed detection of other species of bacterial pathogens.

  17. Determination of trace heavy metals in herbs by sequential injection analysis-anodic stripping voltammetry using screen-printed carbon nanotubes electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Injang, Uthaitip; Noyrod, Peeyanun; Siangproh, Weena; Dungchai, Wijitar; Motomizu, Shoji; Chailapakul, Orawon

    2010-01-01

    A method for the simultaneous determination of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) at low μg L -1 concentration levels by sequential injection analysis-anodic stripping voltammetry (SIA-ASV) using screen-printed carbon nanotubes electrodes (SPCNTE) was developed. A bismuth film was prepared by in situ plating of bismuth on the screen-printed carbon nanotubes electrode. Operational parameters such as ratio of carbon nanotubes to carbon ink, bismuth concentration, deposition time and flow rate during preconcentration step were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the linear ranges were found to be 2-100 μg L -1 for Pb(II) and Cd(II), and 12-100 μg L -1 for Zn(II). The limits of detection (S bl /S = 3) were 0.2 μg L -1 for Pb(II), 0.8 μg L -1 for Cd(II) and 11 μg L -1 for Zn(II). The measurement frequency was found to be 10-15 stripping cycle h -1 . The present method offers high sensitivity and high throughput for on-line monitoring of trace heavy metals. The practical utility of our method was also demonstrated with the determination of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) by spiking procedure in herb samples. Our methodology produced results that were correlated with ICP-AES data. Therefore, we propose a method that can be used for the automatic and sensitive evaluation of heavy metals contaminated in herb items.

  18. Impedance Based Characterization of a High-Coupled Screen Printed PZT Thick Film Unimorph Energy Harvester

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lei, Anders; Xu, R.; Borregaard, L. M.

    2014-01-01

    The single degree of freedom mass-spring-damper system is the most common approach for deriving a full electromechanical model for the piezoelectric vibration energy harvester. In this paper, we revisit this standard electromechanical model by focusing on the impedance of the piezoelectric device...... parameters which, by means of the piezoelectric impedance expression, all can be determined accurately by electrical measurements. It is shown how four of five lumped parameters can be determined from a single impedance measurement scan, considerably reducing the characterization effort. The remaining...... parameter is determined from shaker measurements, and a highly accurate agreement is found between model and measurements on a unimorph MEMS-based screen printed PZT harvester. With a high coupling term K-2 Q similar or equal to 7, the harvester exhibits two optimum load points. The peak power performance...

  19. Printed organo-functionalized graphene for biosensing applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wisitsoraat, A; Mensing, J Ph; Karuwan, C; Sriprachuabwong, C; Jaruwongrungsee, K; Phokharatkul, D; Daniels, T M; Liewhiran, C; Tuantranont, A

    2017-01-15

    Graphene is a highly promising material for biosensors due to its excellent physical and chemical properties which facilitate electron transfer between the active locales of enzymes or other biomaterials and a transducer surface. Printing technology has recently emerged as a low-cost and practical method for fabrication of flexible and disposable electronics devices. The combination of these technologies is promising for the production and commercialization of low cost sensors. In this review, recent developments in organo-functionalized graphene and printed biosensor technologies are comprehensively covered. Firstly, various methods for printing graphene-based fluids on different substrates are discussed. Secondly, different graphene-based ink materials and preparation methods are described. Lastly, biosensing performances of printed or printable graphene-based electrochemical and field effect transistor sensors for some important analytes are elaborated. The reported printed graphene based sensors exhibit promising properties with good reliability suitable for commercial applications. Among most reports, only a few printed graphene-based biosensors including screen-printed oxidase-functionalized graphene biosensor have been demonstrated. The technology is still at early stage but rapidly growing and will earn great attention in the near future due to increasing demand of low-cost and disposable biosensors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Study on Gas Sensing Performance of In2O3 Thick Film Resistors Prepared by Screen Printing Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. C. KULKARNI

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Indium Oxide (In2O3 thick films were prepared on alumina substrate by using standard screen printing technique. These films were dried and fired at temperatures between 750 0C to 950 0C for two hours in air atmosphere. The compositional, morphological and structural properties of In2O3 films were performed by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDX, XRD, and Scanning electron Microscopy respectively. We explore the various gases to study sensing performance of In2O3 thick films. The maximum response was reported to film fired at 750 0C for H2S gas at 150 0C operating temperature.

  1. Preparing of Highly Conductive Patterns on Flexible Substrates by Screen Printing of Silver Nanoparticles with Different Size Distribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jin; Liu, Jun; Tian, Qingyong; Wu, Zhaohui; Yao, Weijing; Dai, Zhigao; Liu, Li; Wu, Wei

    2016-12-01

    A facile one-step polyol method is employed to synthesize the Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in large scale. The Ag NPs with different average diameter (from 52 to 120 nm) and particle size distribution are prepared by changing the mass ratio of AgNO3 and PVP. Furthermore, the as-obtained Ag NPs are prepared as conductive inks, which could be screen printed on various flexible substrates and formed as conductive patterns after sintering treatment. During the reaction process, PVP is used as the capping reagent for preventing the agglomeration of Ag NPs, and the influence of the mass ratio of AgNO3 and PVP to the size distribution of Ag NPs is investigated. The results of electronic properties reveal that the conductivity of printed patterns is highly dependent on the size distribution of as-obtained Ag NPs. Among all the samples, the optimal conductivity is obtained when the mass ratio of AgNO3 and PVP is 1:0.4. Subsequently, the sintering time and temperature are further investigated for obtaining the best conductivity; the optimal electrical resistivity value of 3.83 μΩ · cm is achieved at 160 °C for 75 min, which is close to the resistivity value of the bulk silver (1.58 μΩ · cm). Significantly, there are many potential advantages in printed electronics applications because of the as-synthesized Ag NPs with a low sintering temperature and low electrical resistivity.

  2. All-solid-state carbonate-selective electrode based on screen-printed carbon paste electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Guang; Lyu, Xiaofeng; Wang, Zhan; Rong, Yuanzhen; Hu, Ruifen; Wang, You; Luo, Zhiyuan

    2017-01-01

    A novel disposable all-solid-state carbonate-selective electrode based on a screen-printed carbon paste electrode using poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (POT) as an ion-to-electron transducer has been developed. The POT was dropped onto the reaction area of the carbon paste electrode covered by the poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane, which contains N,N-Dioctyl-3 α ,12 α -bis(4-trifluoroacetylbenzoyloxy)-5 β -cholan-24-amide as a carbonate ionophore. The electrode showed a near-Nernstian slope of  −27.5 mV/decade with a detection limit of 3.6 * 10 −5 mol l −1 . Generally, the detection time was 30 s. Because these electrodes are fast, convenient and low in cost, they have the potential to be mass produced and used in on-site testing as disposable sensors. Furthermore, the repeatability, reproducibility and stability have been studied to evaluate the properties of the electrodes. Measurement of the carbonate was also conducted in a human blood solution and achieved good performance. (paper)

  3. Textile Concentric Ring Electrodes for ECG Recording Based on Screen-Printing Technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Vicente Lidón-Roger

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Among many of the electrode designs used in electrocardiography (ECG, concentric ring electrodes (CREs are one of the most promising due to their enhanced spatial resolution. Their development has undergone a great push due to their use in recent years; however, they are not yet widely used in clinical practice. CRE implementation in textiles will lead to a low cost, flexible, comfortable, and robust electrode capable of detecting high spatial resolution ECG signals. A textile CRE set has been designed and developed using screen-printing technology. This is a mature technology in the textile industry and, therefore, does not require heavy investments. Inks employed as conductive elements have been silver and a conducting polymer (poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene polystyrene sulfonate; PEDOT:PSS. Conducting polymers have biocompatibility advantages, they can be used with flexible substrates, and they are available for several printing technologies. CREs implemented with both inks have been compared by analyzing their electric features and their performance in detecting ECG signals. The results reveal that silver CREs present a higher average thickness and slightly lower skin-electrode impedance than PEDOT:PSS CREs. As for ECG recordings with subjects at rest, both CREs allowed the uptake of bipolar concentric ECG signals (BC-ECG with signal-to-noise ratios similar to that of conventional ECG recordings. Regarding the saturation and alterations of ECGs captured with textile CREs caused by intentional subject movements, silver CREs presented a more stable response (fewer saturations and alterations than those of PEDOT:PSS. Moreover, BC-ECG signals provided higher spatial resolution compared to conventional ECG. This improved spatial resolution was manifested in the identification of P1 and P2 waves of atrial activity in most of the BC-ECG signals. It can be concluded that textile silver CREs are more suitable than those of PEDOT:PSS for obtaining

  4. Textile Concentric Ring Electrodes for ECG Recording Based on Screen-Printing Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lidón-Roger, José Vicente; Prats-Boluda, Gema; Ye-Lin, Yiyao; Garcia-Casado, Javier; Garcia-Breijo, Eduardo

    2018-01-21

    Among many of the electrode designs used in electrocardiography (ECG), concentric ring electrodes (CREs) are one of the most promising due to their enhanced spatial resolution. Their development has undergone a great push due to their use in recent years; however, they are not yet widely used in clinical practice. CRE implementation in textiles will lead to a low cost, flexible, comfortable, and robust electrode capable of detecting high spatial resolution ECG signals. A textile CRE set has been designed and developed using screen-printing technology. This is a mature technology in the textile industry and, therefore, does not require heavy investments. Inks employed as conductive elements have been silver and a conducting polymer (poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate; PEDOT:PSS). Conducting polymers have biocompatibility advantages, they can be used with flexible substrates, and they are available for several printing technologies. CREs implemented with both inks have been compared by analyzing their electric features and their performance in detecting ECG signals. The results reveal that silver CREs present a higher average thickness and slightly lower skin-electrode impedance than PEDOT:PSS CREs. As for ECG recordings with subjects at rest, both CREs allowed the uptake of bipolar concentric ECG signals (BC-ECG) with signal-to-noise ratios similar to that of conventional ECG recordings. Regarding the saturation and alterations of ECGs captured with textile CREs caused by intentional subject movements, silver CREs presented a more stable response (fewer saturations and alterations) than those of PEDOT:PSS. Moreover, BC-ECG signals provided higher spatial resolution compared to conventional ECG. This improved spatial resolution was manifested in the identification of P1 and P2 waves of atrial activity in most of the BC-ECG signals. It can be concluded that textile silver CREs are more suitable than those of PEDOT:PSS for obtaining BC-ECG records

  5. Printing method for organic light emitting device lighting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ki, Hyun Chul; Kim, Seon Hoon; Kim, Doo-Gun; Kim, Tae-Un; Kim, Snag-Gi; Hong, Kyung-Jin; So, Soon-Yeol

    2013-03-01

    Organic Light Emitting Device (OLED) has a characteristic to change the electric energy into the light when the electric field is applied to the organic material. OLED is currently employed as a light source for the lighting tools because research has extensively progressed in the improvement of luminance, efficiency, and life time. OLED is widely used in the plate display device because of a simple manufacture process and high emitting efficiency. But most of OLED lighting projects were used the vacuum evaporator (thermal evaporator) with low molecular. Although printing method has lower efficiency and life time of OLED than vacuum evaporator method, projects of printing OLED actively are progressed because was possible to combine with flexible substrate and printing technology. Printing technology is ink-jet, screen printing and slot coating. This printing method allows for low cost and mass production techniques and large substrates. In this research, we have proposed inkjet printing for organic light-emitting devices has the dominant method of thick film deposition because of its low cost and simple processing. In this research, the fabrication of the passive matrix OLED is achieved by inkjet printing, using a polymer phosphorescent ink. We are measured optical and electrical characteristics of OLED.

  6. Environmental and risk screening for prioritizing pollution prevention opportunities in the U.S. printed wiring board manufacturing industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Carl W; Lim, Seong-Rin; Schoenung, Julie M

    2011-05-15

    Modern manufacturing of printed wiring boards (PWBs) involves extensive use of various hazardous chemicals in different manufacturing steps such as board preparation, circuit design transfer, etching and plating processes. Two complementary environmental screening methods developed by the U.S. EPA, namely: (i) the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) and (ii) Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI), are used to quantify geographic and chemical environmental impacts in the U.S. PWB manufacturing industry based on Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data. Although the release weight percentages of industrial chemicals such as methanol, glycol ethers and dimethylformamide comprise the larger fraction of reported air and water emissions, results indicate that lead, copper and their compounds' releases correspond to the highest environmental impact from toxicity potentials and risk-screening scores. Combining these results with further knowledge of PWB manufacturing, select alternative chemical processes and materials for pollution prevention are discussed. Examples of effective pollution prevention options in the PWB industry include spent etchant recovery technologies, and process and material substitutions. In addition, geographic assessment of environmental burden highlights states where promotion of pollution prevention strategies and emissions regulations can have the greatest effect to curb the PWB industry's toxic release impacts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Research on Multioperator silk screen printer Based on Communication Protocol Macro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhiming Zhang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Multioperator silk screen printer is automatic silk screen printing equipment. There are many advantages, such as energy saving, reduce the labor intensity and so on. The control system consists of an intermittent movement main motor and eight color working station printing cycle motion motors. The system controls nine frequency converters through protocol macro communication by using PLC. This paper studies the principle and process characteristics of multioperator silk screen printer. Besides, this paper adopts protocol macro sequence generation method for communication between PLC and frequency converter. This method can control the programming of parameters, such as frequency, operation and monitoring. It also can realize the printing of eight color working stations and monitor the printing status in real time. The practical application proves that the method meets the technical requirements and the reliability is good.

  8. A low-cost, orientation-insensitive microwave water-cut sensor printed on a pipe surface

    KAUST Repository

    Karimi, Muhammad Akram; Arsalan, Muhammad; Shamim, Atif

    2017-01-01

    commercial WC sensors. The presented sensor has been realized by using extremely low cost methods of screen-printing and reusable 3D printed mask. Complete characterization of the proposed WC sensor, both in horizontal and vertical orientations, has been

  9. Biosensing with Paper-Based Miniaturized Printed Electrodes–A Modern Trend

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Célia M. Silveira

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available From the bench-mark work on microfluidics from the Whitesides’s group in 2007, paper technology has experienced significant growth, particularly regarding applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. Besides the structural properties supporting microfluidics, other advantageous features of paper materials, including their versatility, disposability and low cost, show off the great potential for the development of advanced and eco-friendly analytical tools. Consequently, paper was quickly employed in the field of electrochemical sensors, being an ideal material for producing custom, tailored and miniaturized devices. Stencil-, inkjet-, or screen-printing are the preferential techniques for electrode manufacturing. Not surprisingly, we witnessed a rapid increase in the number of publications on paper based screen-printed sensors at the turn of the past decade. Among the sensing strategies, various biosensors, coupling electrochemical detectors with biomolecules, have been proposed. This work provides a critical review and a discussion on the future progress of paper technology in the context of miniaturized printed electrochemical biosensors.

  10. Biosensing with Paper-Based Miniaturized Printed Electrodes–A Modern Trend

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silveira, Célia M.; Monteiro, Tiago; Almeida, Maria Gabriela

    2016-01-01

    From the bench-mark work on microfluidics from the Whitesides’s group in 2007, paper technology has experienced significant growth, particularly regarding applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. Besides the structural properties supporting microfluidics, other advantageous features of paper materials, including their versatility, disposability and low cost, show off the great potential for the development of advanced and eco-friendly analytical tools. Consequently, paper was quickly employed in the field of electrochemical sensors, being an ideal material for producing custom, tailored and miniaturized devices. Stencil-, inkjet-, or screen-printing are the preferential techniques for electrode manufacturing. Not surprisingly, we witnessed a rapid increase in the number of publications on paper based screen-printed sensors at the turn of the past decade. Among the sensing strategies, various biosensors, coupling electrochemical detectors with biomolecules, have been proposed. This work provides a critical review and a discussion on the future progress of paper technology in the context of miniaturized printed electrochemical biosensors. PMID:27690119

  11. Biosensing with Paper-Based Miniaturized Printed Electrodes-A Modern Trend.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silveira, Célia M; Monteiro, Tiago; Almeida, Maria Gabriela

    2016-09-28

    From the bench-mark work on microfluidics from the Whitesides's group in 2007, paper technology has experienced significant growth, particularly regarding applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics. Besides the structural properties supporting microfluidics, other advantageous features of paper materials, including their versatility, disposability and low cost, show off the great potential for the development of advanced and eco-friendly analytical tools. Consequently, paper was quickly employed in the field of electrochemical sensors, being an ideal material for producing custom, tailored and miniaturized devices. Stencil-, inkjet-, or screen-printing are the preferential techniques for electrode manufacturing. Not surprisingly, we witnessed a rapid increase in the number of publications on paper based screen-printed sensors at the turn of the past decade. Among the sensing strategies, various biosensors, coupling electrochemical detectors with biomolecules, have been proposed. This work provides a critical review and a discussion on the future progress of paper technology in the context of miniaturized printed electrochemical biosensors.

  12. Portable electrochemical system using screen-printed electrodes for monitoring corrosion inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Squissato, André L; Silva, Weberson P; Del Claro, Augusto T S; Rocha, Diego P; Dornellas, Rafael M; Richter, Eduardo M; Foster, Christopher W; Banks, Craig E; Munoz, Rodrigo A A

    2017-11-01

    This work presents a portable electrochemical system for the continuous monitoring of corrosion inhibitors in a wide range of matrices including ethanol, seawater and mineral oil following simple dilution of the samples. Proof-of-concept is demonstrated for the sensing of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,5-thiadiazole (DMCT), an important corrosion inhibitor. Disposable screen-printed graphitic electrodes (SPGEs) associated with a portable batch-injection cell are proposed for the amperometric determination of DMCT following sample dilution with electrolyte (95% v/v ethanol + 5% v/v 0.1molL -1 H 2 SO 4 solution). This electrolyte was compatible with all samples and the organic-resistant SPGE could be used continuously for more than 200 injections (100µL injected at 193µLs -1 ) free from effects of adsorption of DMCT, which have a great affinity for metallic surfaces, and dissolution of the other reported SPGE inks which has hampered prior research efforts. Fast (180h -1 ) and precise responses (RSD < 3% n = 10) with a detection limit of 0.3µmolL -1 was obtained. The accuracy of the proposed method was attested through recovery tests (93-106%) and the reasonable agreement of results of DMCT concentrations in samples analyzed by both proposed and spectrophotometric (comparative) methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Anti-microbial surfaces: An approach for deposition of ZnO nanoparticles on PVA-Gelatin composite film by screen printing technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meshram, J.V.; Koli, V.B.; Phadatare, M.R.; Pawar, S.H., E-mail: shpawar1946@gmail.com

    2017-04-01

    Initially micro-organisms get exposed to the surfaces, this demands development of anti-microbial surfaces to inhibit their proliferation. Therefore, herein, we attempt screen printing technique for development of PVA-GE/ZnO nanocomposite (PG/ZnO) films. The synthesis of PG/ZnO nanocomposite includes two steps as: (i) Coating of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) by poly ethylene glycol in order to be compatible with organic counterparts. (ii) Deposition of coated nanoparticles on the PG film surface. The results suggest the enhancement in anti-microbial activity of PG/ZnO nanocomposite over pure ZnO NPs against both Gram positive Bacillus subtilis and Gram negative Escherichia coli from zone of inhibition. The uniformity in deposition is further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The phase identification of ZnO NPs and formation of PG/ZnO nanocomposite has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–vis). The Attenuated total reflection Spectroscopy (ATR) analysis indicates the ester bond between PVA and gelatin molecules. The thermal stability of nanocomposite is studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealing increase in crystallinity due to ZnO NPs which could be utilized to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms. The tensile strength is found to be higher and percent elongation is double of PG/ZnO nanocomposite than PG composite film. - Highlights: • Synthesis of PG/ZnO nanocomposite by screen printing technique • Antimicrobial activity is due presence of ZnO nanoparticles on PG composite. • Improved tensile strength due to ZnO nanoparticles.

  14. The effect of baking conditions on the effective contact areas of screen-printed silver layer on silicon substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tietun Sun; Jianmin Miao; Rongming Lin; Yongqing Fu [Nanyang Technological Univ., Micromachines Lab., Singapore (Singapore)

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, Ag-based paste was screen-printed on polished as well as on textured p-type (100) single crystalline silicon wafers. Three types of baking processes were studied: the tube furnace, the belt furnace and the hot plate baking. The effective contact areas of Ag/Si system were measured with a novel method, namely metal insulator semiconductor structure measurement. The results show that after baking on the hot plate at 400 deg C for 5 min, the size and number of pores in the Ag film layer as well as at the interface between silver layer and silicon decreases significantly, the effective contact area also increases about 20%, particularly on the textured silicon substrate. (Author)

  15. The effect of baking conditions on the effective contact areas of screen-printed silver layer on silicon substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Tietun; Miao, Jianmin; Lin, Rongming; Fu, Yongqing [Micromachines Laboratory, School of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

    2005-01-01

    In this paper, Ag-based paste was screen-printed on the polished as well as on the textured p-type (100) single crystalline silicon wafers. Three types of baking processes were studied: the tube furnace, the belt furnace and the hot plate baking. The effective contact areas of Ag/Si system were measured with a novel method, namely metal insulator semiconductor structure measurement. The results show that after baking on the hot plate at 400{sup o}C for 5min, the size and number of pores in the Ag film layer as well as at the interface between silver layer and silicon decreases significantly, the effective contact area also increases about 20%, particularly on the textured silicon substrate.

  16. Converse magnetoelectric effect in laminated composite of Metglas and Pb(Zr,TiO3 with screen-printed interdigitated electrodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Zhang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we investigate the converse magnetoelectric (CME effect in a laminated composite consisting of Metglas ribbons and Pb(Zr,TiO3 (PZT plate with screen-printed interdigitated electrodes and operating in longitudinal magnetization and longitudinal polarization (L-L mode. Large CME coefficients of 0.134 G·cm/V at frequency of 1 kHz and 2.75 G·cm/V at resonance frequency of 43.5 kHz under a small bias magnetic field of 7 Oe are achieved. The large CME effect can be attributed to the L-L mode and low mechanical loss of the Metglas/PZT laminated composite.

  17. Printed strain sensors for early damage detection in engineering structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zymelka, Daniel; Yamashita, Takahiro; Takamatsu, Seiichi; Itoh, Toshihiro; Kobayashi, Takeshi

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, we demonstrate the analysis of strain measurements recorded using a screen-printed sensors array bonded to a metal plate and subjected to high strains. The analysis was intended to evaluate the capabilities of the printed strain sensors to detect abnormal strain distribution before actual defects (cracks) in the analyzed structures appear. The results demonstrate that the developed device can accurately localize the enhanced strains at the very early stage of crack formation. The promising performance and low fabrication cost confirm the potential suitability of the printed strain sensors for applications within the framework of structural health monitoring (SHM).

  18. A WLED based on LuAG:Ce3+ PiG coated red-emitting K2SiF6:Mn4+ phosphor by screen-printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Rui; Wu, Lingchao; Di, Xiaoxuan; Li, Pengzhi; Hu, Guangcai; Liang, Xiaojuan; Xiang, Weidong

    2017-08-01

    It is high-profile that the use of phosphor-in-glass (PiG) is extensive because of its excellent advantages in thermal resistance and lifetime aspects, and so on. Here, white light-emitting diodes (WLED) based on LuAG:Ce3+ PiG coated red-emitting K2SiF6:Mn4+ (KSF) phosphors by screen-printing are fabricated. Among all of these, the commercial LuAG phosphors and glass raw materials of TeO2-based glass, were weighted and milled in an agate thoroughly. Then, the mixture was melted and sintered at 850 K or so for 20 min in the ambient atmosphere through low temperature co-fired method, cold-forming LuAG PiG clump and cut into different LuAG PiG thicknesses. After that, the commercial red phosphor KSF was coated on LuAG PiG by screen-printing technique. Finally, high-performance WLEDs based on the TeO2-based glass were obtained, tested and characterized, which exhibit a highest color rendering index of 94.1, a lowest color temperature of 3744 K and a largest luminous efficiency of 101.02 lm·W-1. Most noticeably of all, the promising method has excellent developing potential for industrialization in high-power WLED.

  19. Screen-Printed Electrodes: New Tools for Developing Microbial Electrochemistry at Microscale Level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Estevez-Canales

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Microbial electrochemical technologies (METs have a number of potential technological applications. In this work, we report the use of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs as a tool to analyze the microbial electroactivity by using Geobacter sulfurreducens as a model microorganism. We took advantage of the small volume required for the assays (75 μL and the disposable nature of the manufactured strips to explore short-term responses of microbial extracellular electron transfer to conductive materials under different scenarios. The system proved to be robust for identifying the bioelectrochemical response, while avoiding complex electrochemical setups, not available in standard biotechnology laboratories. We successfully validated the system for characterizing the response of Geobacter sulfurreducens in different physiological states (exponential phase, stationary phase, and steady state under continuous culture conditions revealing different electron transfer responses. Moreover, a combination of SPE and G. sulfurreducens resulted to be a promising biosensor for quantifying the levels of acetate, as well as for performing studies in real wastewater. In addition, the potential of the technology for identifying electroactive consortia was tested, as an example, with a mixed population with nitrate-reducing capacity. We therefore present SPEs as a novel low-cost platform for assessing microbial electrochemical activity at the microscale level.

  20. Study of Microstructural Parameters of Screen Printed ZnO Thick Film Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. PATIL

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper explores the compositional, morphological and structural properties of ZnO thick films prepared by a standard screen printing method and fired between 650 oC to 900 oC for 2 hours in an air atmosphere. The material characterization was done using X-ray energy dispersive analysis (EDX, X-ray diffraction (XRD and a scanning electron microscope (SEM. The deposited films were polycrystalline in nature having the wurtzite (hexagonal structure with a preferred orientation along the (101 plane. The result shows that the wt. % of Zn was found to be 80.39, 82.66 and 83.47 % for firing temperatures of 700, 800 and 900 oC respectively may be due to the release of excess oxygen. The effect of the firing temperature on structural parameters such as the crystallite size, specific surface area, texture coefficient, RMSmicrostrain, dislocation density and stacking fault probability have been studied. The results indicate that grain growth can be increased by increasing the firing temperature which is responsible for decreasing the RMSmicrostrain, stacking fault probability and dislocation density in ZnO thick films. The crystallite size changes from 18.58 nm to 37.23 nm with respect to the increase in the firing temperature.

  1. Ultraviolet and electron-beam curing of printing inks. January 1980-August 1987 (Citations from World Surface Coatings Abstracts). Report for January 1980-August 1987

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-08-01

    This bibliography contains citations concerning methods, techniques, and applications for the ultraviolet and electron-beam curing of printing inks. Topics include ink compositions, curing methods and equipment, cured-ink evaluations, screen printing inks, photoinitiators, and ink binders. The pollution and safety problems, and future trends of UV- and E-beam-cured printing inks are considered. Applications in screen printing on polyethylene or polypropylene bottles, and decorative printing of glass are also examined. (This updated bibliography contains 237 citations, 63 of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

  2. Simple approach for the fabrication of screen-printed carbon-based electrode for amperometric detection on microchip electrophoresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petroni, Jacqueline Marques; Lucca, Bruno Gabriel; Ferreira, Valdir Souza

    2017-01-01

    This paper describes a simple method for the fabrication of screen-printed based electrodes for amperometric detection on microchip electrophoresis (ME) devices. The procedure developed is quite simple and does not require expensive instrumentation or sophisticated protocols commonly employed on the production of amperometric sensors, such as photolithography or sputtering steps. The electrodes were fabricated through manual deposition of home-made conductive carbon ink over patterned acrylic substrate. Morphological structure and electrochemical behavior of the carbon electrodes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The produced amperometric sensors were coupled to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchips at end-channel configuration in order to evaluate their analytical performance. For this purpose, electrophoretic experiments were carried out using nitrite and ascorbic acid as model analytes. Separation of these substances was successfully performed within 50s with good resolution (R = 1.2) and sensitivities (713.5 pA/μM for nitrite and 255.4 pA/μM for ascorbate). The reproducibility of the fabrication method was evaluated and revealed good values concerning the peak currents obtained (8.7% for nitrite and 9.3% for ascorbate). The electrodes obtained through this method exhibited satisfactory lifetime (ca. 400 runs) over low fabrication cost (less than $1 per piece). The feasibility of the proposed device for real analysis was demonstrated through the determination of nitrite concentration levels in drinking water samples. Based on the results achieved, the approach proposed here shows itself as an interesting alternative for simple fabrication of carbon-based electrodes. Furthermore, the devices indicate great promise for other kind of analytical applications involving ME devices. - Highlights: • A novel method to fabricate screen-printed electrodes for amperometric detection in ME is demonstrated. • No sophisticated

  3. Simple approach for the fabrication of screen-printed carbon-based electrode for amperometric detection on microchip electrophoresis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Petroni, Jacqueline Marques [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, 79074-460 (Brazil); Lucca, Bruno Gabriel, E-mail: bruno.lucca@ufes.br [Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, São Mateus, ES, 29932-540 (Brazil); Ferreira, Valdir Souza [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, 79074-460 (Brazil)

    2017-02-15

    This paper describes a simple method for the fabrication of screen-printed based electrodes for amperometric detection on microchip electrophoresis (ME) devices. The procedure developed is quite simple and does not require expensive instrumentation or sophisticated protocols commonly employed on the production of amperometric sensors, such as photolithography or sputtering steps. The electrodes were fabricated through manual deposition of home-made conductive carbon ink over patterned acrylic substrate. Morphological structure and electrochemical behavior of the carbon electrodes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The produced amperometric sensors were coupled to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchips at end-channel configuration in order to evaluate their analytical performance. For this purpose, electrophoretic experiments were carried out using nitrite and ascorbic acid as model analytes. Separation of these substances was successfully performed within 50s with good resolution (R = 1.2) and sensitivities (713.5 pA/μM for nitrite and 255.4 pA/μM for ascorbate). The reproducibility of the fabrication method was evaluated and revealed good values concerning the peak currents obtained (8.7% for nitrite and 9.3% for ascorbate). The electrodes obtained through this method exhibited satisfactory lifetime (ca. 400 runs) over low fabrication cost (less than $1 per piece). The feasibility of the proposed device for real analysis was demonstrated through the determination of nitrite concentration levels in drinking water samples. Based on the results achieved, the approach proposed here shows itself as an interesting alternative for simple fabrication of carbon-based electrodes. Furthermore, the devices indicate great promise for other kind of analytical applications involving ME devices. - Highlights: • A novel method to fabricate screen-printed electrodes for amperometric detection in ME is demonstrated. • No sophisticated

  4. Effect of pigment concentration on fastness and color values of thermal and UV curable pigment printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baysal, Gulcin; Kalav, Berdan; Karagüzel Kayaoğlu, Burçak

    2017-10-01

    In the current study, it is aimed to determine the effect of pigment concentration on fastness and colour values of thermal and ultraviolet (UV) curable pigment printing on synthetic leather. For this purpose, thermal curable solvent-based and UV curable water-based formulations were prepared with different pigment concentrations (3, 5 and 7%) separately and applied by screen printing technique using a screen printing machine. Samples printed with solvent-based formulations were thermally cured and samples printed with water-based formulations were cured using a UV curing machine equipped with gallium and mercury (Ga/Hg) lamps at room temperature. The crock fastness values of samples printed with solvent-based formulations showed that increase in pigment concentration was not effective on both dry and wet crock fastness values. On the other hand, in samples printed with UV curable water-based formulations, dry crock fastness was improved and evaluated as very good for all pigment concentrations. However, increasing the pigment concentration affected the wet crock fastness values adversely and lower values were observed. As the energy level increased for each irradiation source, the fastness values were improved. In comparison with samples printed with solvent-based formulations, samples printed with UV curable water-based formulations yielded higher K/S values at all pigment concentrations. The results suggested that, higher K/S values can be obtained in samples printed with UV curable water-based formulations at a lower pigment concentration compared to samples printed with solvent-based formulations.

  5. A highly stable and sensitive chemically modified screen-printed electrode for sulfide analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsai, D.-M. [Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung 40217, Taiwan (China); Kumar, Annamalai Senthil [Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung 40217, Taiwan (China); Zen, J.-M. [Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo-Kuang Road, Taichung 40217, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: jmzen@dragon.nchu.edu.tw

    2006-01-18

    We report here a highly stable and sensitive chemically modified screen-printed carbon electrode (CMSPE) for sulfide analysis. The CMSPE was prepared by first ion-exchanging ferricyanide into a Tosflex anion-exchange polymer and then sealing with a tetraethyl orthosilicate sol-gel layer. The sol-gel overlayer coating was crucial to stabilize the electron mediator (i.e., Fe(China){sub 6} {sup 3-}) from leaching. The strong interaction between the oxy-hydroxy functional group of sol-gel and the hydrophilic sites of Tosflex makes the composite highly rigid to trap the ferricyanide mediator. An obvious electrocatalytic sulfide oxidation current signal at {approx}0.20 V versus Ag/AgCl in pH 7 phosphate buffer solution was observed at the CMSPE. A linear calibration plot over a wide range of 0.1 {mu}M to 1 mM with a slope of 5.6 nA/{mu}M was obtained by flow injection analysis. The detection limit (S/N = 3) was 8.9 nM (i.e., 25.6 ppt). Practical utility of the system was applied to the determination of sulfide trapped from cigarette smoke and sulfide content in hot spring water.

  6. Impedimetric Label-Free Immunosensor on Disposable Modified Screen-Printed Electrodes for Ochratoxin A

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Malvano

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available An impedimetric label-free immunosensor on disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE for quantitative determination of Ochratoxin A (OTA has been developed. After modification of the SPCE surface with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, the anti-OTA was immobilized on the working electrode through a cysteamine layer. After each coating step, the modified surfaces were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. The capacitance was chosen as the best parameter that describes the reproducible change in electrical properties of the electrode surface at different OTA concentrations and it was used to investigate the analytical parameters of the developed immunosensor. Under optimized conditions, the immunosensor showed a linear relationship between 0.3 and 20 ng/mL with a low detection limit of 0.25 ng/mL, making it suitable to control OTA content in many common food products. Lastly, the immunosensor was used to measure OTA in red wine samples and the results were compared with those registered with a competitive ELISA kit. The immunosensor was sensitive to OTA lower than 2 μg/kg, which represents the lower acceptable limit of OTA established by European legislation for common food products.

  7. Properties of screen-printed modified graphite layers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Walter

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available During last years protection of the environment is one of the important problems that should be solved by modern technology. Theimportant problems are toxic gases emitted by conventional power plants. One of the methods that contribute to decreasing air pollution is manufacturing of cheap solar energy devices that could be applied in households. Among different type of fabrication technology of solar cells, DSSC technology looks like one of the interesting because it is relatively simple and low cost technology. Nowadays a lot of researcher groups making investigations to improve its setup, to get the cost reduction. The methods to achieve this goal were proposed in ISE (Germany as a concept of monolithic dye sensitised solar cell. One of the ideas of this solar cells setup is replacing expensive TCO electrode by much cheaper graphite electrode. Replacing TCO glass by graphite layer has to be done only in case of comparable properties of those both electrodes. There are some tested ideas of manufacturing that electrode and some of them are successfully applied. Presented work has been focused on preparation graphite conductive electrode for DSSC technology application, fabricated by screen–printing technique. Investigations concern new graphite past composition suitable for graphite layer preparation. It was been found that applying additive of titanium organic compound (Tyzor GBA to the past composition result in good properties, characterised by low resistance and good adhesion between graphite particles in the printed layer. Some tested layers prepared from proposed paste compositions characterised by better conductivity then applied in conventional DSSC cells counter electrode. The optimal addition of the modifier has not fixed yet.Among tested pastes the most promising results has been achieved for paste contained the biggest amount of Tyzor GBA.

  8. Fabrication of dielectrophoretic microfluidic chips using a facile screen-printing technique for microparticle trapping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wee, Wei Hong; Kadri, Nahrizul Adib; Pingguan-Murphy, Belinda; Li, Zedong; Hu, Jie; Xu, Feng; Li, Fei

    2015-01-01

    Trapping of microparticles finds wide applications in numerous fields. Microfluidic chips based on a dielectrophoresis (DEP) technique hold several advantages for trapping microparticles, such as fast result processing, a small amount of sample required, high spatial resolution, and high accuracy of target selection. There is an unmet need to develop DEP microfluidic chips on different substrates for different applications in a low cost, facile, and rapid way. This study develops a new facile method based on a screen-printing technique for fabrication of electrodes of DEP chips on three types of substrates (i.e. polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA), poly(ethylene terephthalate) and A4 paper). The fabricated PMMA-based DEP microfluidic chip was selected as an example and successfully used to trap and align polystyrene microparticles in a suspension and cardiac fibroblasts in a cell culture solution. The developed electrode fabrication method is compatible with different kinds of DEP substrates, which could expand the future application field of DEP microfluidic chips, including new forms of point-of care diagnostics and trapping circulating tumor cells. (paper)

  9. Straightforward grafting approach for cyclam-functionalized screen-printed electrodes for selective Cu(II) determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jasmin, Jean-Philippe; Ouhenia-Ouadahi, Karima; Miserque, Frédéric; Dumas, Eddy; Cannizzo, Caroline; Chaussé, Annie

    2016-01-01

    We report in this paper an original way to covalently bind the macrocyclic ligand, 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (cyclam), through diazonium salt chemistry, on the surface of carbon screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). The in situ synthesis of the diazonium salt obtained from the amine precursor derived from the cyclam and its electrografting are described. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy was used to characterize this functionalized surface. Owing to the strong cyclam–Cu(II) affinity, the so called SPE-cyclam can be used as electrochemical sensors for Cu(II) determination at trace levels. The influence of electroanalysis parameters such as the accumulation time and the pH of the medium were investigated. An interference study was carried out with numerous metallic cations and few interference was found for Cu(II) quantification. The described method provided a limit of detection and a limit of quantification of 1.3 × 10"−"8 M and 4.0 × 10"−"8 M, respectively. Interference study and performances show that SPE-cyclam could be considered as efficient sensors for environmental analysis.

  10. Implementing traceability using particle randomness-based textile printed tags

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agrawal, T. K.; Koehl, L.; Campagne, C.

    2017-10-01

    This article introduces a random particle-based traceability tag for textiles. The proposed tag not only act as a unique signature for the corresponding textile product but also possess the features such as easy to manufacture and hard to copy. It seeks applications in brand authentication and traceability in textile and clothing (T&C) supply chain. A prototype has been developed by screen printing process, in which micron-scale particles were mixed with the printing paste and printed on cotton fabrics to attain required randomness. To encode the randomness, the image of the developed tag was taken and analyzed using image processing. The randomness of the particles acts as a product key or unique signature which is required to decode the tag. Finally, washing and abrasion resistance tests were conducted to check the durability of the printed tag.

  11. Method development for the determination of arsenic by sequential injection/anodic stripping voltammetry using long-lasting gold-modified screen-printed carbon electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Punrat, Eakkasit; Chuanuwatanakul, Suchada; Kaneta, Takashi; Motomizu, Shoji; Chailapakul, Orawon

    2013-11-15

    An automated method has been developed for determining the concentration of inorganic arsenic. The technique uses sequential injection/anodic stripping voltammetry with a long-lasting gold-modified screen-printed carbon electrode. The long-lasting gold electrode was electrochemically deposited onto a screen-printed carbon electrode at a potential of -0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl in a supporting electrolyte solution of 1M hydrochloric acid. Under optimal conditions and the applied potentials, the electrode demonstrated that it can be used for a long time without a renewal process. The linear range for the determination of arsenic(III) was 1-100 μg L(-1), and the limit of detection (LOD) in standard solutions was as low as 0.03 μg L(-1) for a deposition time of 120 s and sample volume of 1 mL. This method was used to determine the concentration of arsenic(III) in water samples with satisfactory results. The LOD in real samples was found to be 0.5 μg L(-1). In addition, speciation between arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) has been achieved with the proposed method using deposition potentials of -0.5 V and -1.5 V for the determination of the arsenic(III) concentration and the total arsenic concentration, respectively; the results were acceptable. The proposed method is an automated system that offers a less expensive alternative for determining trace amounts of inorganic arsenic. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. A screen-printed carbon electrode modified with gold nanoparticles, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(styrene sulfonate) and a molecular imprint for voltammetric determination of nitrofurantoin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dechtrirat, Decha; Yingyuad, Peerada; Prajongtat, Pongthep; Chuenchom, Laemthong; Sriprachuabwong, Chakrit; Tuantranont, Adisorn; Tang, I-Ming

    2018-04-23

    A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and a nanocomposite prepared from gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) were deposited on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The nanocomposite was prepared by one-pot simultaneous in-situ formation of AuNPs and PEDOT:PSS and was then inkjet-coated onto the SPCE. The MIP film was subsequently placed on the modified SPCE by co-electrodeposition of o-phenylenediamine and resorcinol in the presence of the antibiotic nitrofurantoin (NFT). Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), response at the potential of ~ 0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) is linear in 1 nM to 1000 nM NFT concentration range, with a remarkably low detection limit (at S/N = 3) of 0.1 nM. This is two orders of magnitude lower than that of the control MIP sensor without the nanocomposite interlayer, thus showing the beneficial effect of AuNP-PEDOT:PSS. The electrode is highly reproducible (relative standard deviation 3.1% for n = 6) and selective over structurally related molecules. It can be re-used for at least ten times and was found to be stable for at least 45 days. It was successfully applied to the determination of NFT in (spiked) feed matrices and gave good recoveries. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of a voltammetric sensor for the determination of nitrofurantoin. The sensor is based on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified with an inkjet-printed gold nanoparticles-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) nanocomposite and a molecularly imprinted polymer.

  13. Modification of Screen Printed Carbon Electrode (SPCE with Polypyrrole (Ppy-SiO2 for Phenol Determination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ani Mulyasuryani

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrode modification on screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE with polypyrrole (Ppy-SiO2 was done by electropolymerization. Polypyrrole (Ppy-SiO2 was used for phenol determination. The analysis of this material was done by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, cyclic voltammetry method and differential pulse voltammetry. In a cyclic voltammetry analysis, we used potential range of -1 to 1 V with Ag/AgCl comparator electrode at scan rate of 100 mV/sec, while in differential pulse voltammetry method the potential range was 0 to 1 V toward Ag/AgCl, the scan rate of 50 mV/sec, the pulse rate is 0,2 V and the pulse width is 50 ms. From the analysis result with SEM, cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry method, Polypyrrole (Ppy -SiO2 is the best material and can be used as phenol measurement.

  14. Electrochemical detection of short HIV sequences on chitosan/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticle based screen printed electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tran, Lam Dai, E-mail: lamtd@ims.vast.ac.vn [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 18, Hoang Quoc Viet Road (Viet Nam); Nguyen, Binh Hai [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 18, Hoang Quoc Viet Road (Viet Nam); Van Hieu, Nguyen [International Training Institute for Materials Science, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 1, Dai Co Viet Road, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Tran, Hoang Vinh; Nguyen, Huy Le [Faculty of Chemical Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 1, Dai Co Viet Road, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Nguyen, Phuc Xuan [Institute of Materials Science, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 18, Hoang Quoc Viet Road (Viet Nam)

    2011-03-12

    In this study, a novel CS/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanobiocomposite-based platform for electrochemical detection of HIV-1 was developed. The most attractive feature of this system is a suitable microenvironment (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles) which could contribute to electron transfer and thus sensitivity enhancement when using methylene blue (MB) as an external mediator and Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The proposed screen printed electrode (SPE) had a low detection limit (as low as 50 pM), acceptable stability and good reproducibility, which would be valuable for clinical diagnosis. In addition, this sensing interface may be feasibly adapted for multiplexed detection of other species of bacterial pathogens.

  15. Chemically Driven Printed Textile Sensors Based on Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes

    OpenAIRE

    Ewa Skrzetuska; Michał Puchalski; Izabella Krucińska

    2014-01-01

    The unique properties of graphene, such as the high elasticity, mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, very high electrical conductivity and transparency, make them it an interesting material for stretchable electronic applications. In the work presented herein, the authors used graphene and carbon nanotubes to introduce chemical sensing properties into textile materials by means of a screen printing method. Carbon nanotubes and graphene pellets were dispersed in water and used as a print...

  16. Emerging Carbon and Post-Carbon Nanomaterial Inks for Printed Electronics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Secor, Ethan B; Hersam, Mark C

    2015-02-19

    Carbon and post-carbon nanomaterials present desirable electrical, optical, chemical, and mechanical attributes for printed electronics, offering low-cost, large-area functionality on flexible substrates. In this Perspective, recent developments in carbon nanomaterial inks are highlighted. Monodisperse semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes compatible with inkjet and aerosol jet printing are ideal channels for thin-film transistors, while inkjet, gravure, and screen-printable graphene-based inks are better-suited for electrodes and interconnects. Despite the high performance achieved in prototype devices, additional effort is required to address materials integration issues encountered in more complex systems. In this regard, post-carbon nanomaterial inks (e.g., electrically insulating boron nitride and optically active transition-metal dichalcogenides) present promising opportunities. Finally, emerging work to extend these nanomaterial inks to three-dimensional printing provides a path toward nonplanar devices. Overall, the superlative properties of these materials, coupled with versatile assembly by printing techniques, offer a powerful platform for next-generation printed electronics.

  17. Determination of total and electrolabile copper in agricultural soil by using disposable modified-carbon screen-printed electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faucher, Stéphane; Cugnet, Cyril; Authier, Laurent; Lespes, Gaëtane

    2014-02-01

    The objective of the study is to evaluate modified-carbon screen-printed working electrodes (SPE) combined with square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) to determine electrolabile and total copper in soils with the perspective to assess the environmental hazard resulting from copper anthropogenic contamination. The voltammetric method was investigated using a mineralized certified reference soil such that it can be assumed that the copper was totally under electrolabile form in the solution of mineralized soil. In optimal conditions, a copper recovery of 97% and a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 9% were found. The limits of detection and quantification for copper were 0.4 and 1.3 μg L(-1), respectively. Finally, the method was applied on soil leachates, which allowed evaluating the cupric transfer from the soil to the leachates and quantifying the electrolabile copper part in leachates.

  18. Towards Washable Wearable Antennas: A Comparison of Coating Materials for Screen-Printed Textile-Based UHF RFID Tags

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiiti Kellomäki

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available (Radio frequency identification RFID tags integrated into clothing enable monitoring of people without their conscious effort. This requires tags to be an unnoticeable part of clothing and comfortable to wear. In this study, RFID antennas were screen printed on two different fabrics, six different coating materials for the (integrated circuits ICs were applied, and the reliability of these RFID tags was tested with moisture and laundry tests. Generally, glue-type coating materials were easier to handle and could be spread precisely. All the tags were operational immediately after the coatings were applied, and five of the coating materials were seen to protect the IC from detaching in the laundry. It was found that the uneven fabric surface caused discontinuities and breaks in narrow conductors, and thus hard coatings may also be needed to keep the tag from breaking in laundry.

  19. Ultraflexible and robust graphene supercapacitors printed on textiles for wearable electronics applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelkader, Amr M.; Karim, Nazmul; Vallés, Cristina; Afroj, Shaila; Novoselov, Kostya S.; Yeates, Stephen G.

    2017-09-01

    Printed graphene supercapacitors have the potential to empower tomorrow’s wearable electronics. We report a solid-state flexible supercapacitor device printed on textiles using graphene oxide ink and a screen-printing technique. After printing, graphene oxide was reduced in situ via a rapid electrochemical method avoiding the use of any reducing reagents that may damage the textile substrates. The printed electrodes exhibited excellent mechanical stability due to the strong interaction between the ink and textile substrate. The unique hierarchical porous structure of the electrodes facilitated ionic diffusion and maximised the surface area available for the electrolyte/active material interface. The obtained device showed outstanding cyclic stability over 10 000 cycles and maintained excellent mechanical flexibility, which is necessary for wearable applications. The simple printing technique is readily scalable and avoids the problems associated with fabricating supercapacitor devices made of conductive yarn, as previously reported in the literature.

  20. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanostructured ZnO Thick Film Gas Sensors Prepared by Screen Printing Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Y. BORSE

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Nanosized ZnO was prepared by self propagating solution combustion synthesis method. The synthesized ZnO thick films were deposited on alumina substrate by using standard screen printing technique and fired at 700 0C. The films were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX. The electrical behaviors of ZnO thick films were investigated. From XRD spectra it is revealed that ZnO films are polycrystalline in nature. The average grain size of 87.44 nm has been estimated for the film fired at 700 0C using Scherrer’s formula. EDAX clearly shows the peaks corresponding to Zn and O element which confirms the successful growth of ZnO films. Gas sensing study for these samples shows high sensitivity and selectivity towards NO2 at all operating temperatures. The resistivity, TCR and activation energy of the ZnO films have been evaluated and discussed.

  1. Progress in the development of photosensitive GEMs with resistive electrodes manufactured by a screen printing technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peskov, V.; Martinengo, P.; Nappi, E.; Oliveira, R.; Paic, G.; Pietropaolo, F.; Picchi, P.

    2009-01-01

    An innovative photosensitive gaseous detector, consisting of a GEM-like amplification structure with double-layered electrodes (instead of commonly used metallic ones) coated with a CsI reflective photocathode, is described. In one of our latest designs, the inner electrode consists of a metallic grid and the outer one is made of resistive strips; the latter are manufactured by a screen-printing technology on the top of the metallic strips's grid The inner metallic grid is used for 2-D position measurements whereas the resistive layer provides an efficient spark-protected operation at high gains close to the breakdown limit. Detectors with active areas of 10x10 and 10x20 cm 2 were tested under various conditions including the operation in photosensitive gas mixtures containing ethylferrocene or TMAE vapors. The new technique could have many applications requiring robust and reliable large-area detectors for UV visualization, as for example, in Cherenkov imaging devices.

  2. Progress in the development of photosensitive GEMs with resistive electrodes manufactured by a screen printing technology

    CERN Document Server

    Peskov, V; Nappi, E; Oliveira, R; Paic, G; Pietropaolo, F; Picchi, P

    2009-01-01

    An innovative photosensitive gaseous detector, consisting of a GEM-like amplification structure with double-layered electrodes (instead of commonly used metallic ones) coated with a CsI reflective photocathode, is described. In one of our latest designs, the inner electrode consists of a metallic grid and the outer one is made of resistive strips; the latter are manufactured by a screen-printing technology on the top of the metallic strips's grid The inner metallic grid is used for 2-D position measurements whereas the resistive layer provides an efficient spark-protected operation at high gains close to the breakdown limit. Detectors with active areas of 10×10 and 10×20 cm2 were tested under various conditions including the operation in photosensitive gas mixtures containing ethylferrocene or TMAE vapors. The new technique could have many applications requiring robust and reliable large-area detectors for UV visualization, as for example, in Cherenkov imaging devices.

  3. Investigation of the adhesion properties of direct 3D printing of polymers and nanocomposites on textiles: Effect of FDM printing process parameters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemi Sanatgar, Razieh; Campagne, Christine; Nierstrasz, Vincent

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, 3D printing as a novel printing process was considered for deposition of polymers on synthetic fabrics to introduce more flexible, resource-efficient and cost effective textile functionalization processes than conventional printing process like screen and inkjet printing. The aim is to develop an integrated or tailored production process for smart and functional textiles which avoid unnecessary use of water, energy, chemicals and minimize the waste to improve ecological footprint and productivity. Adhesion of polymer and nanocomposite layers which were 3D printed directly onto the textile fabrics using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique was investigated. Different variables which may affect the adhesion properties including 3D printing process parameters, fabric type and filler type incorporated in polymer were considered. A rectangular shape according to the peeling standard was designed as 3D computer-aided design (CAD) to find out the effect of the different variables. The polymers were printed in different series of experimental design: nylon on polyamide 66 (PA66) fabrics, polylactic acid (PLA) on PA66 fabric, PLA on PLA fabric, and finally nanosize carbon black/PLA (CB/PLA) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes/PLA (CNT/PLA) nanocomposites on PLA fabrics. The adhesion forces were quantified using the innovative sample preparing method combining with the peeling standard method. Results showed that different variables of 3D printing process like extruder temperature, platform temperature and printing speed can have significant effect on adhesion force of polymers to fabrics while direct 3D printing. A model was proposed specifically for deposition of a commercial 3D printer Nylon filament on PA66 fabrics. In the following, among the printed polymers, PLA and its composites had high adhesion force to PLA fabrics.

  4. Online monitoring of printed electronics by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

    KAUST Repository

    Alarousu, Erkki

    2013-03-28

    Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) is an optical method capable of 3D imaging of object\\'s internal structure with micron-scale resolution. Modern SD-OCT tools offer the speed capable of online monitoring of printed devices. This paper demonstrates the use of SD-OCT in a simulated roll-to-roll (R2R) process through monitoring some structural properties of moving screen printed interdigitated electrodes. It is shown that structural properties can be resolved for speeds up to ca. 1m/min, which is the first step towards application of this method in real manufacturing processes, including roll-to-roll (R2R) printing.

  5. 3D Printing of Organs-On-Chips.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Hee-Gyeong; Lee, Hyungseok; Cho, Dong-Woo

    2017-01-25

    Organ-on-a-chip engineering aims to create artificial living organs that mimic the complex and physiological responses of real organs, in order to test drugs by precisely manipulating the cells and their microenvironments. To achieve this, the artificial organs should to be microfabricated with an extracellular matrix (ECM) and various types of cells, and should recapitulate morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and functions according to the native organ. A promising strategy is 3D printing, which precisely controls the spatial distribution and layer-by-layer assembly of cells, ECMs, and other biomaterials. Owing to this unique advantage, integration of 3D printing into organ-on-a-chip engineering can facilitate the creation of micro-organs with heterogeneity, a desired 3D cellular arrangement, tissue-specific functions, or even cyclic movement within a microfluidic device. Moreover, fully 3D-printed organs-on-chips more easily incorporate other mechanical and electrical components with the chips, and can be commercialized via automated massive production. Herein, we discuss the recent advances and the potential of 3D cell-printing technology in engineering organs-on-chips, and provides the future perspectives of this technology to establish the highly reliable and useful drug-screening platforms.

  6. High performance screen printable lithium-ion battery cathode ink based on C-LiFePO4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sousa, R.E.; Oliveira, J.; Gören, A.; Miranda, D.; Silva, M.M.; Hilliou, Loic; Costa, C.M.; Lanceros-Mendez, S.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • C-LiFePO 4 paste was been prepared for screen-printing technique. • The inks produced have a Newtonian viscosity of 3 Pa.s for this printing technique. • C-LiFePO 4 inks present a 48.2 mAh.g −1 after 50 cycles at 5C. • This ink is suitable in the development of printed lithium ion batteries. - Abstract: Lithium-ion battery cathodes have been fabricated by screen-printing through the development of C-LiFePO 4 inks. It is shown that shear thinning polymer solutions in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) with Newtonian viscosity above 0.4 Pa s are the best binders for formulating a cathode paste with satisfactory film forming properties. The paste shows an elasticity of the order of 500 Pa and, after shear yielding, shows an apparent viscosity of the order of 3 Pa s for shear rates corresponding to those used during screen-printing. The screen-printed cathode produced with a thickness of 26 μm shows a homogeneous distribution of the active material, conductive additive and polymer binder. The total resistance and diffusion coefficient of the cathode are ∼ 450 Ω and 2.5 × 10 −16 cm 2 s −1 , respectively. The developed cathodes show an initial discharge capacity of 48.2 mAh g −1 at 5C and a discharge value of 39.8 mAh g −1 after 50 cycles. The capacity retention of 83% represents 23% of the theoretical value (charge and/or discharge process in twenty minutes), demonstrating the good performance of the battery. Thus, the developed C-LiFePO 4 based inks allow to fabricate screen-printed cathodes suitable for printed lithium-ion batteries.

  7. Calculation of the importance of quality factors in braille application process on labels by screen UV-varnishes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vyacheslav Repeta

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Oriented graph has been drawn in the article according to fixed factors of the quality of applying Braille screen printing on the label by screen UV-varnishes. Using hierarchical representation of relationships between factors in the form of oriented graphs we have ranked the factors of the screen printing process of Braille elements by UV-varnishes and calculated their corresponding coefficients. We have found that the most ranked are such factors as the surface energy of the printing material, the printing speed, the temperature of UV-varnish and its viscosity. Received results of ranking will enable to synthesize the model of the process’ priority factors and to reveal the possibilities of regulations of geometrical parameters of the tactile font elements.

  8. 3D-Printing in Congenital Cardiology: From Flatland to Spaceland

    OpenAIRE

    Deferm, S?bastien; Meyns, Bart; Vlasselaers, Dirk; Budts, Werner

    2016-01-01

    Medical imaging has changed to a great extent over the past few decades. It has been revolutionized by three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques. Despite much of modern medicine relying on 3D imaging, which can be obtained accurately, we keep on being limited by visualization of the 3D content on two-dimensional flat screens. 3D-printing of graspable models could become a feasible technique to overcome this gap. Therefore, we printed pre- and postoperative 3D-models of a complex congenital he...

  9. The role of printing techniques for large-area dye sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mariani, Paolo; Vesce, Luigi; Di Carlo, Aldo

    2015-01-01

    The versatility of printing technologies and their intrinsic ability to outperform other techniques in large-area deposition gives scope to revolutionize the photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing field. Printing methods are commonly used in conventional silicon-based PVs to cover part of the production process. Screen printing techniques, for example, are applied to deposit electrical contacts on the silicon wafer. However, it is with the advent of third generation PVs that printing/coating techniques have been extensively used in almost all of the manufacturing processes. Among all the third generation PVs, dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technology has been developed up to commercialization levels. DSSCs and modules can be fabricated by adopting all of the main printing techniques on both rigid and flexible substrates. This allows an easy tuning of cell/module characteristics to the desired application. Transparency, colour, shape, layout and other DSSC’s features can be easily varied by changing the printing parameters and paste/ink formulations used in the printing process. This review focuses on large-area printing/coating technologies for the fabrication of DSSCs devices. The most used and promising techniques are presented underlining the process parameters and applications. (paper)

  10. The role of printing techniques for large-area dye sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariani, Paolo; Vesce, Luigi; Di Carlo, Aldo

    2015-10-01

    The versatility of printing technologies and their intrinsic ability to outperform other techniques in large-area deposition gives scope to revolutionize the photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing field. Printing methods are commonly used in conventional silicon-based PVs to cover part of the production process. Screen printing techniques, for example, are applied to deposit electrical contacts on the silicon wafer. However, it is with the advent of third generation PVs that printing/coating techniques have been extensively used in almost all of the manufacturing processes. Among all the third generation PVs, dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technology has been developed up to commercialization levels. DSSCs and modules can be fabricated by adopting all of the main printing techniques on both rigid and flexible substrates. This allows an easy tuning of cell/module characteristics to the desired application. Transparency, colour, shape, layout and other DSSC’s features can be easily varied by changing the printing parameters and paste/ink formulations used in the printing process. This review focuses on large-area printing/coating technologies for the fabrication of DSSCs devices. The most used and promising techniques are presented underlining the process parameters and applications.

  11. Smart textile framework: Photochromic and fluorescent cellulosic fabric printed by strontium aluminate pigment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khattab, Tawfik A; Rehan, Mohamed; Hamouda, Tamer

    2018-09-01

    Smart clothing can be defined as textiles that respond to a certain stimulus accompanied by a change in their properties. A specific class herein is the photochromic and fluorescent textiles that change color with light. A photochromic and fluorescent cotton fabric based on pigment printing is obtained. Such fabric is prepared by aqueous-based pigment-binder printing formulation containing inorganic pigment phosphor characterized by good photo- and thermal stability. It exhibits optimal excitation wavelength (365 nm) results in color and fluorescence change of the fabric surface. To prepare the transparent pigment-binder composite film, the phosphor pigment must be well-dispersed via physical immobilization without their aggregation. The pigment-binder paste is applied successfully onto cotton fabric using screen printing technique followed by thermal fixation. After screen-printing, a homogenous photochromic film is assembled on a cotton substrate surface, which represents substantial greenish-yellow color development as indicated by CIE Lab color space measurements under ultraviolet light, even at a pigment concentration of 0.08 wt% of the printing paste. The photochromic cotton fabric exhibit three excitation peaks at 272, 325 and 365 nm and three emission peaks at 418, 495 and 520 nm. The fluorescent optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, elemental mapping, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, fluorescence emission and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopic data of the printed cotton fabric are described. The printed fabric showed a reversible and rapid photochromic response during ultra-violet excitation without fatigue. The fastness properties including washing, crocking, perspiration, sublimation/heat, and light are described. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Photoreactive and Metal-Platable Copolymer Inks for High-Throughput, Room-Temperature Printing of Flexible Metal Electrodes for Thin-Film Electronics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, You; Xiao, Xiang; Zhang, Yaokang; Li, Kan; Yan, Casey; Wei, Xiaoling; Chen, Lina; Zhen, Hongyu; Zhou, Hang; Zhang, Shengdong; Zheng, Zijian

    2016-06-01

    Photoreactive and metal-platable copolymer inks are reported for the first time to allow high-throughput printing of high-performance flexible electrodes at room temperature. This new copolymer ink accommodates various types of printing technologies, such as soft lithography molding, screen printing, and inkjet printing. Electronic devices including resistors, sensors, solar cells, and thin-film transistors fabricated with these printed electrodes show excellent electrical performance and mechanical flexibility. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Sensitive and stable monitoring of lead and cadmium in seawater using screen-printed electrode and electrochemical stripping analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gueell, Raquel; Aragay, Gemma; Fontas, Claudia; Antico, Enriqueta; Merkoci, Arben

    2008-01-01

    Sensitive and stable monitoring of heavy metals in seawater using screen-printed electrodes (SPE) is presented. The analytical performance of SPE coupled with square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) for the simultaneous determination of Pb and Cd in seawater samples, in the low μg L -1 range, is evaluated. The stripping response for the heavy metals following 2 min deposition was linear over the concentration range examined (10-2000 μg L -1 ) with detection limits of 1.8 and 2.9 μg L -1 for Pb and Cd, respectively. The accuracy of the method was validated by analyzing metal contents in different spiked seawater samples and comparing these results to those obtained with the well-established anodic stripping voltammetry using the hanging mercury drop electrode. Moreover, a certified reference material was also used and the results obtained were satisfactory

  14. Print Quality of Ink Jet Printed PVC Foils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nemanja Kašiković

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Digital printing technique is used for a wide variety of substrates, one of which are PVC foils. Samples used in this research were printed by digital ink jet printing technique using Mimaki JV22 printing machine and J-Eco Subly Nano inks. As printing substrates, two different types of materials were used (ORACAL 640 - Print Vinyl and LG Hausys LP2712. A test card consisting of fields of CMYK colours was created and printed, varying the number of ink layers applied. Samples were exposed to light after the printing process. Spectrophotometric measurements were conducted before and after the light treatment. Based on spectrophotometricaly obtained data, colour differences ΔE2000 were calculated. Results showed that increasing number of layers, as well as the right choice of substrates, can improve the behaviour of printed product during exploitation.

  15. Sensing CA 15-3 in point-of-care by electropolymerizing O-phenylenediamine (oPDA on Au-screen printed electrodes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui S Gomes

    Full Text Available This work presents an alternative device for cancer screening in liquid biopsies. It combines a biomimetic film (i with electrochemical detection (ii. The biomimetic film (i was obtained by electro-polymerizing amine-substituted benzene rings around a CA 15-3 target. This protein target was previously adsorbed on a gold (Au support and incubated in charged monomers (4-Styrenesulfonate sodium and 3-Hydroxytyraminium chloride. The protein was further eliminated by enzymatic activity, leaving behind vacant sites for subsequent rebinding. Electrochemical detection (ii was achieved on an Au working electrode, designed on commercial screen-printed electrodes. Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and ellipsometric readings were used to follow the chemical modification of the Au surface. The ability of the material to rebind CA15-3 was monitored by electrochemical techniques. The device displayed linear responses to CA15-3 ranging from 0.25 to 10.00 U/mL, with detection limits of 0.05 U/mL. Accurate results were obtained by applying the sensor to the analysis of CA15-3 in PBS buffer and in serum samples. This biosensing device displayed successful features for the detection of CA 15-3 and constitutes a promising tool for breast cancer screening procedures in point-of-care applications. Moreover, its scale-up seems feasible as it contains a plastic antibody assembled in situ, in less than 1 minute, and the analysis of serum takes less than 30 minutes.

  16. The influence of printing parameters on cell survival rate and printability in microextrusion-based 3D cell printing technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yu; Li, Yang; Mao, Shuangshuang; Sun, Wei; Yao, Rui

    2015-11-02

    Three-dimensional (3D) cell printing technology has provided a versatile methodology to fabricate cell-laden tissue-like constructs and in vitro tissue/pathological models for tissue engineering, drug testing and screening applications. However, it still remains a challenge to print bioinks with high viscoelasticity to achieve long-term stable structure and maintain high cell survival rate after printing at the same time. In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of 3D cell printing parameters, i.e. composition and concentration of bioink, holding temperature and holding time, on the printability and cell survival rate in microextrusion-based 3D cell printing technology. Rheological measurements were utilized to characterize the viscoelasticity of gelatin-based bioinks. Results demonstrated that the bioink viscoelasticity was increased when increasing the bioink concentration, increasing holding time and decreasing holding temperature below gelation temperature. The decline of cell survival rate after 3D cell printing process was observed when increasing the viscoelasticity of the gelatin-based bioinks. However, different process parameter combinations would result in the similar rheological characteristics and thus showed similar cell survival rate after 3D bioprinting process. On the other hand, bioink viscoelasticity should also reach a certain point to ensure good printability and shape fidelity. At last, we proposed a protocol for 3D bioprinting of temperature-sensitive gelatin-based hydrogel bioinks with both high cell survival rate and good printability. This research would be useful for biofabrication researchers to adjust the 3D bioprinting process parameters quickly and as a referable template for designing new bioinks.

  17. R2R-printed inverted OPV modules - towards arbitrary patterned designs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Välimäki, M.; Apilo, P.; Po, R.; Jansson, E.; Bernardi, A.; Ylikunnari, M.; Vilkman, M.; Corso, G.; Puustinen, J.; Tuominen, J.; Hast, J.

    2015-05-01

    We describe the fabrication of roll-to-roll (R2R) printed organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules using gravure printing and rotary screen-printing processes. These two-dimensional printing techniques are differentiating factors from coated OPVs enabling the direct patterning of arbitrarily shaped and sized features into visual shapes and, increasing the freedom to connect the cells in modules. The inverted OPV structures comprise five layers that are either printed or patterned in an R2R printing process. We examined the rheological properties of the inks used and their relationship with the printability, the compatibility between the processed inks, and the morphology of the R2R-printed layers. We also evaluate the dimensional accuracy of the printed pattern, which is an important consideration in designing arbitrarily-shaped OPV structures. The photoactive layer and top electrode exhibited excellent cross-dimensional accuracy corresponding to the designed width. The transparent electron transport layer extended 300 µm beyond the designed values, whereas the hole transport layer shrank 100 µm. We also examined the repeatability of the R2R fabrication process when the active area of the module varied from 32.2 cm2 to 96.5 cm2. A thorough layer-by-layer optimization of the R2R printing processes resulted in realization of R2R-printed 96.5 cm2 sized modules with a maximum power conversion efficiency of 2.1% (mean 1.8%) processed with high functionality.

  18. A novel screen-printed mast cell-based electrochemical sensor for detecting spoilage bacterial quorum signaling molecules (N-acyl-homoserine-lactones) in freshwater fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Donglei; Liu, Yan; Jiang, Hui; Rao, Shengqi; Fang, Wu; Wu, Mangang; Yuan, Limin; Fang, Weiming

    2018-04-15

    A novel screen-printed cell-based electrochemical sensor was developed to assess bacterial quorum signaling molecules, N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). Screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), which possesses excellent properties such as low-cost, disposable and energy-efficient, was modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to improve electrochemical signals and enhance the sensitivity. Rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) mast cells encapsulated in alginate/graphene oxide (NaAgl/GO) hydrogel were immobilized on the MWNTs/SPCE to serve as recognition element. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed to record the cell impedance signal as-influenced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule, N-3-oxododecanoyl homoserine lactone (3OC 12 -HSL). Experimental results show that 3OC 12 -HSL caused a significant decrease in cell viability in a dose dependent manner. The EIS value decreased with concentrations of 3OC 12 -HSL in the range of 0.1-1μM, and the detection limit for 3OC 12 -HSL was calculated to be 0.094μM. These results were confirmed via cell viability, SEM, TEM analysis. Next, the sensor was successfully applied to monitoring the production of AHLs by spoilage bacteria in three different freshwater fish juice samples which efficiently proved the practicability of this cell based method. Therefore, the proposed cell sensor may serve as an innovative and effective approach to the measurement of quorum signaling molecule and thus provides a new avenue for real-time monitoring the spoilage bacteria in freshwater fish production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Implementation and Evaluation of Two Educational Strategies to Improve Screening for Eating Disorders in Pediatric Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gooding, Holly C; Cheever, Elizabeth; Forman, Sara F; Hatoun, Jonathan; Jooma, Farah; Touloumtzis, Currie; Vernacchio, Louis

    2017-05-01

    Routine screening for disordered eating or body image concerns is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We evaluated the ability of two educational interventions to increase screening for eating disorders in pediatric primary care practice, predicting that the "active-learning" group would have an increase in documented screening after intervention. We studied 303 practitioners in a large independent practice association located in the northeastern United States. We used a quasi-experimental design to test the effect of printed educational materials ("print-learning" group, n = 280 participants) compared with in-person shared learning followed by on-line spaced education ("active-learning" group, n = 23 participants) on documented screening of adolescents for eating disorder symptoms during preventive care visits. A subset of 88 participants completed additional surveys regarding knowledge of eating disorders, comfort screening for, diagnosing, and treating eating disorders, and satisfaction with their training regarding eating disorders. During the preintervention period, 4.5% of patients seen by practitioners in both the print-learning and active-learning groups had chart documentation of screening for eating disorder symptoms or body image concerns. This increased to 22% in the active-learning group and 5.7% in the print-learning group in the postintervention period, a statistically significant result. Compared with print-learning participants, active-learning group participants had greater eating disorder knowledge scores, increases in comfort diagnosing eating disorders, and satisfaction with their training in this area. In-person shared learning followed by on-line spaced education is more effective than print educational materials for increasing provider documentation of screening for eating disorders in primary care. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. 3D-Printing in Congenital Cardiology: From Flatland to Spaceland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deferm, Sébastien; Meyns, Bart; Vlasselaers, Dirk; Budts, Werner

    2016-01-01

    Medical imaging has changed to a great extent over the past few decades. It has been revolutionized by three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques. Despite much of modern medicine relying on 3D imaging, which can be obtained accurately, we keep on being limited by visualization of the 3D content on two-dimensional flat screens. 3D-printing of graspable models could become a feasible technique to overcome this gap. Therefore, we printed pre- and postoperative 3D-models of a complex congenital heart defect. With this example, we intend to illustrate that these models hold value in preoperative planning, postoperative evaluation of a complex procedure, communication with the patient, and education of trainees. At this moment, 3D printing only leaves a small footprint, but makes already a big impression in the domain of cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. Further studies including more patients and more validated applications are needed to streamline 3D printing in the clinical setting of daily practice.

  1. 3D-Printing in Congenital Cardiology: From Flatland to Spaceland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sébastien Deferm

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Medical imaging has changed to a great extent over the past few decades. It has been revolutionized by three-dimensional (3D imaging techniques. Despite much of modern medicine relying on 3D imaging, which can be obtained accurately, we keep on being limited by visualization of the 3D content on two-dimensional flat screens. 3D-printing of graspable models could become a feasible technique to overcome this gap. Therefore, we printed pre- and postoperative 3D-models of a complex congenital heart defect. With this example, we intend to illustrate that these models hold value in preoperative planning, postoperative evaluation of a complex procedure, communication with the patient, and education of trainees. At this moment, 3D printing only leaves a small footprint, but makes already a big impression in the domain of cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. Further studies including more patients and more validated applications are needed to streamline 3D printing in the clinical setting of daily practice.

  2. The fabrication and characterization of inkjet-printed polyaniline nanoparticle films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morrin, Aoife; Ngamna, Orawan; O'Malley, Eimer; Kent, Nigel; Moulton, Simon E.; Wallace, Gordon G.; Smyth, Malcolm R.; Killard, Anthony J.

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of electrodes modified with conducting polymer nanoparticle films, produced via inkjet printing. The polyaniline nanoparticle formulations were deposited via a desktop inkjet printer onto screen-printed carbon-paste electrodes (SPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and gold-PET and their morphology studied at a range of length scales using profilometry, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The deposited films were found to form continuous polymer films depending upon film thickness, which was in turn dependent on the number of prints performed. The inkjet-printed films exhibited a smooth morphology on the SPEs at the micro-dimensional scale, as a result of the aggradation and coalescing of the nanoparticles upon deposition. The resulting modified electrodes were both conductive and electroactive, possessing good reversible polyaniline electrochemistry. Such a combination of materials and processing offers the potential of producing a range of low cost, solid state devices such as sensors, actuators and electrochromic devices

  3. Screen-Printed Washable Electronic Textiles as Self-Powered Touch/Gesture Tribo-Sensors for Intelligent Human-Machine Interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Ran; Pu, Xianjie; Du, Xinyu; Yang, Wei; Wang, Jiaona; Guo, Hengyu; Zhao, Shuyu; Yuan, Zuqing; Zhang, Chi; Li, Congju; Wang, Zhong Lin

    2018-05-22

    Multifunctional electronic textiles (E-textiles) with embedded electric circuits hold great application prospects for future wearable electronics. However, most E-textiles still have critical challenges, including air permeability, satisfactory washability, and mass fabrication. In this work, we fabricate a washable E-textile that addresses all of the concerns and shows its application as a self-powered triboelectric gesture textile for intelligent human-machine interfacing. Utilizing conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and screen-printing technology, this kind of E-textile embraces high conductivity (0.2 kΩ/sq), high air permeability (88.2 mm/s), and can be manufactured on common fabric at large scales. Due to the advantage of the interaction between the CNTs and the fabrics, the electrode shows excellent stability under harsh mechanical deformation and even after being washed. Moreover, based on a single-electrode mode triboelectric nanogenerator and electrode pattern design, our E-textile exhibits highly sensitive touch/gesture sensing performance and has potential applications for human-machine interfacing.

  4. Stable proton-conducting Ca-doped LaNbO4 thin electrolyte-based protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells by in situ screen printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Bin; Wang Songlin; Liu Xingqin; Meng Guangyao

    2009-01-01

    In order to develop a simple and cost-effective route to fabricate protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells (PCMFCs), a stable proton-conducting La 0.99 Ca 0.01 NbO 4 (LCN) thin electrolyte was fabricated on a porous NiO-La 0.5 Ce 0.5 O 1.75 (NiO-LDC) anode by in situ screen printing. The key part of this process is to directly print well-mixed ink of La 2 O 3 , CaCO 3 and Nb 2 O 5 instead of pre-synthesized LCN ceramic powder on the anode substrate. After sintering at 1400 deg. C for 5 h, the full dense electrolyte membrane in the thickness of 20 μm was obtained. A single cell was assembled with (La 0.8 Sr 0.2 ) 0.9 MnO 3-δ -La 0.5 Ce 0.5 O 1.75 (LSM-LDC) as cathode and tested with humidified hydrogen as fuel and static air as oxidant. The open circuit voltage (OCV) and maximum power density respectively reached 0.98 V and 65 mW cm -2 at 800 deg. C. Interface resistance of cell under open circuit condition was also investigated.

  5. Structural and congenital heart disease interventions: the role of three-dimensional printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, L M; Meineri, M; Qua Hiansen, J; Horlick, E M

    2017-02-01

    Advances in catheter-based interventions in structural and congenital heart disease have mandated an increased demand for three-dimensional (3D) visualisation of complex cardiac anatomy. Despite progress in 3D imaging modalities, the pre- and periprocedural visualisation of spatial anatomy is relegated to two-dimensional flat screen representations. 3D printing is an evolving technology based on the concept of additive manufacturing, where computerised digital surface renders are converted into physical models. Printed models replicate complex structures in tangible forms that cardiovascular physicians and surgeons can use for education, preprocedural planning and device testing. In this review we discuss the different steps of the 3D printing process, which include image acquisition, segmentation, printing methods and materials. We also examine the expanded applications of 3D printing in the catheter-based treatment of adult patients with structural and congenital heart disease while highlighting the current limitations of this technology in terms of segmentation, model accuracy and dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, we provide information on the resources needed to establish a hospital-based 3D printing laboratory.

  6. 3D Printing of Plant Golgi Stacks from Their Electron Tomographic Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mai, Keith Ka Ki; Kang, Madison J; Kang, Byung-Ho

    2017-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an effective tool for preparing tangible 3D models from computer visualizations to assist in scientific research and education. With the recent popularization of 3D printing processes, it is now possible for individual laboratories to convert their scientific data into a physical form suitable for presentation or teaching purposes. Electron tomography is an electron microscopy method by which 3D structures of subcellular organelles or macromolecular complexes are determined at nanometer-level resolutions. Electron tomography analyses have revealed the convoluted membrane architectures of Golgi stacks, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. But the intricacy of their 3D organizations is difficult to grasp from tomographic models illustrated on computer screens. Despite the rapid development of 3D printing technologies, production of organelle models based on experimental data with 3D printing has rarely been documented. In this chapter, we present a simple guide to creating 3D prints of electron tomographic models of plant Golgi stacks using the two most accessible 3D printing technologies.

  7. 3D Printing of Organs-On-Chips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Hee-Gyeong; Lee, Hyungseok; Cho, Dong-Woo

    2017-01-01

    Organ-on-a-chip engineering aims to create artificial living organs that mimic the complex and physiological responses of real organs, in order to test drugs by precisely manipulating the cells and their microenvironments. To achieve this, the artificial organs should to be microfabricated with an extracellular matrix (ECM) and various types of cells, and should recapitulate morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and functions according to the native organ. A promising strategy is 3D printing, which precisely controls the spatial distribution and layer-by-layer assembly of cells, ECMs, and other biomaterials. Owing to this unique advantage, integration of 3D printing into organ-on-a-chip engineering can facilitate the creation of micro-organs with heterogeneity, a desired 3D cellular arrangement, tissue-specific functions, or even cyclic movement within a microfluidic device. Moreover, fully 3D-printed organs-on-chips more easily incorporate other mechanical and electrical components with the chips, and can be commercialized via automated massive production. Herein, we discuss the recent advances and the potential of 3D cell-printing technology in engineering organs-on-chips, and provides the future perspectives of this technology to establish the highly reliable and useful drug-screening platforms. PMID:28952489

  8. 3D Printing of Organs-On-Chips

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hee-Gyeong Yi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Organ-on-a-chip engineering aims to create artificial living organs that mimic the complex and physiological responses of real organs, in order to test drugs by precisely manipulating the cells and their microenvironments. To achieve this, the artificial organs should to be microfabricated with an extracellular matrix (ECM and various types of cells, and should recapitulate morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and functions according to the native organ. A promising strategy is 3D printing, which precisely controls the spatial distribution and layer-by-layer assembly of cells, ECMs, and other biomaterials. Owing to this unique advantage, integration of 3D printing into organ-on-a-chip engineering can facilitate the creation of micro-organs with heterogeneity, a desired 3D cellular arrangement, tissue-specific functions, or even cyclic movement within a microfluidic device. Moreover, fully 3D-printed organs-on-chips more easily incorporate other mechanical and electrical components with the chips, and can be commercialized via automated massive production. Herein, we discuss the recent advances and the potential of 3D cell-printing technology in engineering organs-on-chips, and provides the future perspectives of this technology to establish the highly reliable and useful drug-screening platforms.

  9. Screen Printed Carbon Electrode Based Electrochemical Immunosensor for the Detection of Dengue NS1 Antigen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Om Parkash

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available An electrochemical immunosensor modified with the streptavidin/biotin system on screen printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs for the detection of the dengue NS1 antigen was developed in this study. Monoclonal anti-NS1 capture antibody was immobilized on streptavidin-modified SPCEs to increase the sensitivity of the assay. Subsequently, a direct sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA format was developed and optimized. An anti-NS1 detection antibody conjugated with horseradish peroxidase enzyme (HRP and 3,3,5,5'-tetramethybezidine dihydrochloride (TMB/H2O2 was used as an enzyme mediator. Electrochemical detection was conducted using the chronoamperometric technique, and electrochemical responses were generated at −200 mV reduction potential. The calibration curve of the immunosensor showed a linear response between 0.5 µg/mL and 2 µg/mL and a detection limit of 0.03 µg/mL. Incorporation of a streptavidin/biotin system resulted in a well-oriented antibody immobilization of the capture antibody and consequently enhanced the sensitivity of the assay. In conclusion, this immunosensor is a promising technology for the rapid and convenient detection of acute dengue infection in real serum samples.

  10. Sensitive and stable monitoring of lead and cadmium in seawater using screen-printed electrode and electrochemical stripping analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gueell, Raquel [ICREA and Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group, Institut Catala de Nanotecnologia, Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Aragay, Gemma [ICREA and Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group, Institut Catala de Nanotecnologia, Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Fontas, Claudia; Antico, Enriqueta [Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Merkoci, Arben [ICREA and Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group, Institut Catala de Nanotecnologia, Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)], E-mail: arben.merkoci.icn@uab.es

    2008-10-10

    Sensitive and stable monitoring of heavy metals in seawater using screen-printed electrodes (SPE) is presented. The analytical performance of SPE coupled with square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) for the simultaneous determination of Pb and Cd in seawater samples, in the low {mu}g L{sup -1} range, is evaluated. The stripping response for the heavy metals following 2 min deposition was linear over the concentration range examined (10-2000 {mu}g L{sup -1}) with detection limits of 1.8 and 2.9 {mu}g L{sup -1} for Pb and Cd, respectively. The accuracy of the method was validated by analyzing metal contents in different spiked seawater samples and comparing these results to those obtained with the well-established anodic stripping voltammetry using the hanging mercury drop electrode. Moreover, a certified reference material was also used and the results obtained were satisfactory.

  11. Effect of providing risk information on undergoing cervical cancer screening: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Hiroyuki; Shimoda, Akihiro; Ishikawa, Yoshiki; Taneichi, Akiyo; Ohashi, Mai; Takahashi, Yoshifumi; Koyanagi, Takahiro; Morisawa, Hiroyuki; Takahashi, Suzuyo; Sato, Naoto; Machida, Shizuo; Takei, Yuji; Saga, Yasushi; Suzuki, Mitsuaki

    2015-01-01

    In Japan, the cervical cancer screening rate is extremely low. Towards improving the cervical cancer screening rate, encouraging eligible people to make an informed choice, which is a decision-making process that relies on beliefs informed by adequate information about the possible benefits and risks of screening, has attracted increased attention in the public health domain. However, there is concern that providing information on possible risks of screening might prevent deter from participating. In total, 1,912 women aged 20-39 years who had not participated in screening in the fiscal year were selected from a Japanese urban community setting. Participants were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A received a printed reminder with information about the possible benefits of screening, group B received a printed reminder with information about possible benefits and risks, and group C received a printed reminder with simple information only (control group). Out of 1,912 participants, 169 (8.8%) participated in cervical cancer screening. In the intervention groups, 137 (10.9%) participated in cervical cancer screening, compared to only 32 (4.9%) of the control group (p < 0.001). In addition, logistic regression analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in screening rate between group A and group B (p = 0.372). Providing information on the possible risks of screening may not prevent people from taking part in cervical cancer screening among a Japanese non-adherent population.

  12. Digital multicolor printing: state of the art and future challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kipphan, Helmut

    1995-04-01

    During the last 5 years, digital techniques have become extremely important in the graphic arts industry. All sections in the production flow for producing multicolor printed products - prepress, printing and postpress - are influenced by digitalization, in an evolutionary and revolutionary way. New equipment and network techniques bring all the sections closer together. The focus is put on high-quality multicolor printing, together with high productivity. Conventional offset printing technology is compared with the leading nonimpact printing technologies. Computer to press is contrasted with computer to print techniques. The newest available digital multicolor presses are described - the direct imaging offset printing press from HEIDELBERG with new laser imaging technique as well as the INDIGO and XEIKON presses based on electrophotography. Regarding technical specifications, economic calculations and print quality, it is worked out that each technique has its own market segments. An outlook is given for future computer to press techniques and the potential of nonimpact printing technologies for advanced high-speed multicolor computer to print equipment. Synergy effects from the NIP-technologies to the conventional printing technologies and vice versa are possible for building up innovative new products, for example hybrid printing systems. It is also shown that there is potential for improving the print quality, based on special screening algorithms, and a higher number of grey levels per pixel by using NIP-technologies. As an intermediate step in digitalization of the production flow, but also as an economical solution computer to plate equipment is described. By producing printed products totally in a digital way, digital color proofing as well as color management systems are needed. The newest high-tech equipment using NIP-technologies for producing proofs is explained. All in all it is shown that the state of the art in digital multicolor printing has reached

  13. The influence of surface topography of UV coated and printed cardboard on the print gloss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Igor Karlović

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The incident light on the printed surface undergoes through several processes of scattering, absorbtion and reflectiondepending on the surface topography and structure of the material. The specular part of the surface reflection is commonlyattributed as the geometric component of the reflection, and when measured is associated with specular gloss.The diffuse part of the surface reflection contains the chromatic part of the reflection and is commonly calculatedthrough colorimetric values. Using UV coatings as surface enhacement materials which affect the optical propertiesof coated surfaces and final appearance of the printed product forms new surface topography over the existingone. We have investigated the influence of three different amounts of UV glossy and matte oveprint coating on themeasured specular gloss of printed cardboard samples. The different amount of coatings on the printed samples wereachived using three different screen stencils of 180 threads/cm, 150 threads/cm and 120 threads/cm thread count.The cardboard samples were analysed with AFM and SEM microscopes to obtain surface topography and roughnessvalues which were evaluated with the measured geometric values speficied as instrumental gloss. The surfaceswith a specific amount of UV coatings showed a new formed topography which influences the reflection of light.The changes in topography were evaluated through surface roughness parameters which showed a decline of surfaceroughness with tht additional ammount of glossy and matte coatings. The obtained and calculated correlations showthere is a high correlation between coating ammount and surface roughness change and gloss for the glossy UVcoating. The results for the matte UV coatings showed lower correlation for the gloss and surface roughness.

  14. 3D-printing techniques in a medical setting: a systematic literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tack, Philip; Victor, Jan; Gemmel, Paul; Annemans, Lieven

    2016-10-21

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing has numerous applications and has gained much interest in the medical world. The constantly improving quality of 3D-printing applications has contributed to their increased use on patients. This paper summarizes the literature on surgical 3D-printing applications used on patients, with a focus on reported clinical and economic outcomes. Three major literature databases were screened for case series (more than three cases described in the same study) and trials of surgical applications of 3D printing in humans. 227 surgical papers were analyzed and summarized using an evidence table. The papers described the use of 3D printing for surgical guides, anatomical models, and custom implants. 3D printing is used in multiple surgical domains, such as orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, cranial surgery, and spinal surgery. In general, the advantages of 3D-printed parts are said to include reduced surgical time, improved medical outcome, and decreased radiation exposure. The costs of printing and additional scans generally increase the overall cost of the procedure. 3D printing is well integrated in surgical practice and research. Applications vary from anatomical models mainly intended for surgical planning to surgical guides and implants. Our research suggests that there are several advantages to 3D-printed applications, but that further research is needed to determine whether the increased intervention costs can be balanced with the observable advantages of this new technology. There is a need for a formal cost-effectiveness analysis.

  15. An Electrochemical Enzyme Biosensor for 3-Hydroxybutyrate Detection Using Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified by Reduced Graphene Oxide and Thionine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalo Martínez-García

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available A biosensor for 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-HB involving immobilization of the enzyme 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase onto a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with reduced graphene oxide (GO and thionine (THI is reported here. After addition of 3-hydroxybutyrate or the sample in the presence of NAD+ cofactor, the generated NADH could be detected amperometrically at 0.0 V vs. Ag pseudo reference electrode. Under the optimized experimental conditions, a calibration plot for 3-HB was constructed showing a wide linear range between 0.010 and 0.400 mM 3-HB which covers the clinically relevant levels for diluted serum samples. In addition, a limit of detection of 1.0 µM, much lower than that reported using other biosensors, was achieved. The analytical usefulness of the developed biosensor was demonstrated via application to spiked serum samples.

  16. A Highly Thermostable In2O3/ITO Thin Film Thermocouple Prepared via Screen Printing for High Temperature Measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yantao Liu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available An In2O3/ITO thin film thermocouple was prepared via screen printing. Glass additives were added to improve the sintering process and to increase the density of the In2O3/ITO films. The surface and cross-sectional images indicate that both the grain size and densification of the ITO and In2O3 films increased with the increase in annealing time. The thermoelectric voltage of the In2O3/ITO thermocouple was 53.5 mV at 1270 °C at the hot junction. The average Seebeck coefficient of the thermocouple was calculated as 44.5 μV/°C. The drift rate of the In2O3/ITO thermocouple was 5.44 °C/h at a measuring time of 10 h at 1270 °C.

  17. Streamlined, Inexpensive 3D Printing of the Brain and Skull.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naftulin, Jason S; Kimchi, Eyal Y; Cash, Sydney S

    2015-01-01

    Neuroimaging technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) collect three-dimensional data (3D) that is typically viewed on two-dimensional (2D) screens. Actual 3D models, however, allow interaction with real objects such as implantable electrode grids, potentially improving patient specific neurosurgical planning and personalized clinical education. Desktop 3D printers can now produce relatively inexpensive, good quality prints. We describe our process for reliably generating life-sized 3D brain prints from MRIs and 3D skull prints from CTs. We have integrated a standardized, primarily open-source process for 3D printing brains and skulls. We describe how to convert clinical neuroimaging Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images to stereolithography (STL) files, a common 3D object file format that can be sent to 3D printing services. We additionally share how to convert these STL files to machine instruction gcode files, for reliable in-house printing on desktop, open-source 3D printers. We have successfully printed over 19 patient brain hemispheres from 7 patients on two different open-source desktop 3D printers. Each brain hemisphere costs approximately $3-4 in consumable plastic filament as described, and the total process takes 14-17 hours, almost all of which is unsupervised (preprocessing = 4-6 hr; printing = 9-11 hr, post-processing = Printing a matching portion of a skull costs $1-5 in consumable plastic filament and takes less than 14 hr, in total. We have developed a streamlined, cost-effective process for 3D printing brain and skull models. We surveyed healthcare providers and patients who confirmed that rapid-prototype patient specific 3D models may help interdisciplinary surgical planning and patient education. The methods we describe can be applied for other clinical, research, and educational purposes.

  18. Streamlined, Inexpensive 3D Printing of the Brain and Skull.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason S Naftulin

    Full Text Available Neuroimaging technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI and Computed Tomography (CT collect three-dimensional data (3D that is typically viewed on two-dimensional (2D screens. Actual 3D models, however, allow interaction with real objects such as implantable electrode grids, potentially improving patient specific neurosurgical planning and personalized clinical education. Desktop 3D printers can now produce relatively inexpensive, good quality prints. We describe our process for reliably generating life-sized 3D brain prints from MRIs and 3D skull prints from CTs. We have integrated a standardized, primarily open-source process for 3D printing brains and skulls. We describe how to convert clinical neuroimaging Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM images to stereolithography (STL files, a common 3D object file format that can be sent to 3D printing services. We additionally share how to convert these STL files to machine instruction gcode files, for reliable in-house printing on desktop, open-source 3D printers. We have successfully printed over 19 patient brain hemispheres from 7 patients on two different open-source desktop 3D printers. Each brain hemisphere costs approximately $3-4 in consumable plastic filament as described, and the total process takes 14-17 hours, almost all of which is unsupervised (preprocessing = 4-6 hr; printing = 9-11 hr, post-processing = <30 min. Printing a matching portion of a skull costs $1-5 in consumable plastic filament and takes less than 14 hr, in total. We have developed a streamlined, cost-effective process for 3D printing brain and skull models. We surveyed healthcare providers and patients who confirmed that rapid-prototype patient specific 3D models may help interdisciplinary surgical planning and patient education. The methods we describe can be applied for other clinical, research, and educational purposes.

  19. Streamlined, Inexpensive 3D Printing of the Brain and Skull

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cash, Sydney S.

    2015-01-01

    Neuroimaging technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) collect three-dimensional data (3D) that is typically viewed on two-dimensional (2D) screens. Actual 3D models, however, allow interaction with real objects such as implantable electrode grids, potentially improving patient specific neurosurgical planning and personalized clinical education. Desktop 3D printers can now produce relatively inexpensive, good quality prints. We describe our process for reliably generating life-sized 3D brain prints from MRIs and 3D skull prints from CTs. We have integrated a standardized, primarily open-source process for 3D printing brains and skulls. We describe how to convert clinical neuroimaging Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images to stereolithography (STL) files, a common 3D object file format that can be sent to 3D printing services. We additionally share how to convert these STL files to machine instruction gcode files, for reliable in-house printing on desktop, open-source 3D printers. We have successfully printed over 19 patient brain hemispheres from 7 patients on two different open-source desktop 3D printers. Each brain hemisphere costs approximately $3–4 in consumable plastic filament as described, and the total process takes 14–17 hours, almost all of which is unsupervised (preprocessing = 4–6 hr; printing = 9–11 hr, post-processing = Printing a matching portion of a skull costs $1–5 in consumable plastic filament and takes less than 14 hr, in total. We have developed a streamlined, cost-effective process for 3D printing brain and skull models. We surveyed healthcare providers and patients who confirmed that rapid-prototype patient specific 3D models may help interdisciplinary surgical planning and patient education. The methods we describe can be applied for other clinical, research, and educational purposes. PMID:26295459

  20. Transparent Electrodes with Nanotubes and Graphene for Printed Optoelectronic Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcin Słoma

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We report here on printed electroluminescent structures containing transparent electrodes made of carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets. Screen-printing and spray-coating techniques were employed. Electrodes and structures were examined towards optical parameters using spectrophotometer and irradiation meter. Electromechanical properties of transparent electrodes are exterminated with cyclical bending test. Accelerated aging process was conducted according to EN 62137 standard for reliability tests of electronics. We observed significant negative influence of mechanical bending on sheet resistivity of ITO, while resistivity of nanotube and graphene based electrodes remained stable. Aging process has also negative influence on ITO based structures resulting in delamination of printed layers, while those based on carbon nanomaterials remained intact. We observe negligible changes in irradiation for structures with carbon nanotube electrodes after accelerated aging process. Such materials demonstrate a high application potential in general purpose electroluminescent devices.

  1. Dynamic Colour Possibilities and Functional Properties of Thermochromic Printing Inks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahela Kulcar

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Thermochromic printing inks change their colour regarding the change in temperature and they are one of the major groups of colour-changing inks. One of the most frequently used thermochromic material in printing inks are leuco dyes. The colour of thermochromic prints is dynamic, it is not just temperature-dependent, but it also depends on thermal history. The effect is described by colour hysteresis. This paper aims at discussing general aspects of thermochromic inks, dynamic colorimetric properties of leuco dye-based thermochromic inks, their stability and principle of variable-temperature colour measurement. Thermochromic material is protected in round-shaped capsules. They are much larger than pigments in conventional inks. The polymer envelopes of pigment capsules are more stable against oxidation than the binder. If these envelopes are damaged, the dynamic colour is irreversibly lost. Our aim is to analyse the colorimetric properties of several reversible screen-printed UV-curing leuco dye thermochromic inks with different activation temperatures printed on paper. A small analysis of irreversible thermochromic inks will be presented for comparison with reversible thermochromic inks. Moreover, so as to show interesting possibilities, a combination of different inks was made, an irreversible thermochromic ink was printed on top of the red and blue reversible thermochromic inks. Special attention was given to the characterization of colour hysteresis and the meaning of activation temperature.

  2. Color management: printing processes - opportunities and limitations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingram, Samuel T.

    2002-06-01

    Digital tools have impacted traditional methods employed to reproduce color images during the past decade. The shift from a purely photomechanical process in color reproduction to colorimetric reproduction offers tremendous opportunity in the graphic arts industry. But good things do not necessarily come to all in the same package. Printing processes possess different reproduction attributes: tone reproduction, gray balance and color correction requirements are as different as the ingredient sets selected for color reproduction. This paper will provide insight toward understanding advantages and limitations offered by the new digital technologies in printing, publishing and packaging. For the past five years the Clemson University Graphic Communications Department has conducted numerous color projects using the new digital colorimetric tools during the previous decade. Several approaches have been used including experimental research and typical production workflows. The use of colorimetric data in color reproduction has given an opportunity to realize real gains in color use, predictability and consistency. Meeting an image's separation and reproduction requirements for a specified printing process can involve disruption of the anticipated workflow. Understanding the printing process requirements and the fit within the specifications of a colorimetric workflow are critical to the successful adoption of a color managed workflow. The paper will also provide an insight into the issues and challenges experienced with a color managed workflow. The printing processes used include offset litho, narrow and wide-web flexography (paper, liner board, corrugated and film), screen printing (paper board and polycarbonates), and digital imaging with toner, ink and inkjet systems. A proposal for technology integration will be the focus of the presentation drawn from documented experiences in over 300 applications of color management tools. Discussion will include the structure of

  3. Kinerja Biosensor Konduktometri Berbasis (Screen Printed Carbon Electrode SPCE––Kitosan untuk Deteksi Diazinon, Malation, Klorpirifos dan Profenofos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nuzulul Kurniawan Isvani

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The performance of biosensor is based on the hydrolysis reaction of organophosphorus compounds catalyzed by organophosphate hydrolase (OPH, produce H+ and the other ionic species that increase conductance on the surface of electrode. In this research, OPH was immobilized by crosslinking on chitosan–glutaraldehyde membrane on the (Screen Printed Carbon Electrode SPCE surface. Measurements were carried out at the range concentration 0 to 3.0 ppm of organophosphate, the range of pH 7.0 to 9.0 and 5–25 mL of enzyme. The result showed that optimum performances were obtained at 25 mL of OPH, pH 8.5, with the sensitivity for dizinon, malathion, chlorpirifos and profenofos is 1.353 mS/ppm, 1.270 mS/ppm, 1.230 mS/ppm dan 1.77 mS/ppm respectively and 0.97; 1.03; 0.98; 0.97 of LOD. DOI :http://dx.doi.org/10.15408/jkv.v0i0.3156.

  4. Clamping effect on the piezoelectric responses of screen-printed low temperature PZT/Polymer films on flexible substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almusallam, A.; Yang, K.; Zhu, D.; Torah, R. N.; Komolafe, A.; Tudor, J.; Beeby, S. P.

    2015-11-01

    This paper introduces a new flexible lead zirconate titanate (PZT)/polymer composite material that can be screen-printed onto fabrics and flexible substrates, and investigates the clamping effect of these substrates on the characterization of the piezoelectric material. Experimental results showed that the optimum blend of PZT/polymer binder with a weight ratio of 12:1 provides a dielectric constant of 146. The measured value of the piezoelectric coefficient d33 was found to depend on the substrate used. Measured d33clp values of 70, 40, 36 pC N-1 were obtained from the optimum formulation printed on Polyester-cotton with an interface layer, Kapton and alumina substrates, respectively. The variation in the measured d33clp values occurs because of the effect of the mechanical boundary conditions of the substrate. The piezoelectric film is mechanically bonded to the surface of the substrate and this constrains the film in the plane of the substrate (the 1-direction). This constraint means that the perpendicular forces (applied in the 3-direction) used to measure d33 introduce a strain in the 1-direction that produces a charge of the opposite polarity to that induced by the d33 effect. This is due to the negative sign of the d31 coefficient and has the effect of reducing the measured d33 value. Theoretical and experimental investigations confirm a reduction of 13%, 50% and 55% in the estimated freestanding d33fs values (80 pC N-1) on Polyester-cotton, Kapton and alumina substrates, respectively. These results demonstrate the effect of the boundary conditions of the substrate/PZT interface on the piezoelectric response of the PZT/polymer film and in particular the reduced effect of fabric substrates due to their lowered stiffness.

  5. Glucose sensing on graphite screen-printed electrode modified by sparking of copper nickel alloys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riman, Daniel; Spyrou, Konstantinos; Karantzalis, Alexandros E; Hrbac, Jan; Prodromidis, Mamas I

    2017-04-01

    Electric spark discharge was employed as a green, fast and extremely facile method to modify disposable graphite screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) with copper, nickel and mixed copper/nickel nanoparticles (NPs) in order to be used as nonenzymatic glucose sensors. Direct SPEs-to-metal (copper, nickel or copper/nickel alloys with 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25wt% compositions) sparking at 1.2kV was conducted in the absence of any solutions under ambient conditions. Morphological characterization of the sparked surfaces was performed by scanning electron microscopy, while the chemical composition of the sparked NPs was evaluated with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The performance of the various sparked SPEs towards the electro oxidation of glucose in alkaline media and the critical role of hydroxyl ions were evaluated with cyclic voltammetry and kinetic studies. Results indicated a mixed charge transfer- and hyroxyl ion transport-limited process. Best performing sensors fabricated by Cu/Ni 50/50wt% alloy showed linear response over the concentration range 2-400μM glucose and they were successfully applied to the amperometric determination of glucose in blood. The detection limit (S/N 3) and the relative standard deviation of the method were 0.6µM and green methods in sensor's development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Peroxynitrite Sensor Based on a Screen Printed Carbon Electrode Modified with a Poly(2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioana Silvia Hosu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available For the first time the electropolymerization of 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene (2,6-DHN on a screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE was investigated and evaluated for peroxynitrite (PON detection. Cyclic voltammetry was used to electrodeposit the poly(2,6-DHN on the carbon electrode surface. The surface morphology and structure of poly(2,6-DHN film were investigated by SEM and FTIR analysis, and the electrochemical features by cyclic voltammetry. The poly(2,6-DHN/SPCE sensor showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for PON oxidation in alkaline solutions at very low potentials (0–100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl pseudoreference. An amperometric FIA (flow injection analysis system based on the developed sensor was optimized for PON measurements and a linear concentration range from 2 to 300 μM PON, with a LOD of 0.2 μM, was achieved. The optimized sensor inserted in the FIA system exhibited good sensitivity (4.12 nA·μM−1, selectivity, stability and intra-/inter-electrode reproducibility for PON determination.

  7. Electrochemical Behavior and Determination of Chlorogenic Acid Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Screen-Printed Electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyan Ma

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrode (MWCNTs/SPE was prepared and the MWCNTs/SPE was employed for the electrochemical determination of the antioxidant substance chlorogenic acids (CGAs. A pair of well-defined redox peaks of CGA was observed at the MWCNTs/SPE in 0.10 mol/L acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.2 and the electrode process was adsorption-controlled. Cyclic voltammetry (CV and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV methods for the determination of CGA were proposed based on the MWCNTs/SPE. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method exhibited linear ranges from 0.17 to 15.8 µg/mL, and the linear regression equation was Ipa (µA = 4.1993 C (×10−5 mol/L + 1.1039 (r = 0.9976 and the detection limit for CGA could reach 0.12 µg/mL. The recovery of matrine was 94.74%–106.65% (RSD = 2.92% in coffee beans. The proposed method is quick, sensitive, reliable, and can be used for the determination of CGA.

  8. Electrical and Gas Sensing Properties of SnO2 Thick Film Resistors Prepared by Screen-printing Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Y. BORSE

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Thick films of tin-oxide (SnO2 were deposited on alumina substrates employing screen-printing technique. The films were dried and fired at 680 0C for 30 minutes. The variation of D.C. resistance of thick films was measured in air as well as in H2S gas atmosphere as a function of temperature. The SnO2 films exhibit semiconducting behaviour. The SnO2 thick films studied were also showing decrease in resistance with increase of concentration of H2S gas. The film resistors showed the highest sensitivity to H2S gas at 350 0C. The XRD studies of the thick film indicate the presence of different phases of SnO2. The elemental analysis was confirmed by EDX spectra. The surface morphological study of the films was analyzed by SEM. The microstructure of the films was porous resulting from loosely interconnected small crystallites. The parameters such as grain size, activation energy, sensitivity and response time were described.

  9. High Tc screen-printed YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films - Effect of the substrate material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Narottam P.; Simons, Rainee N.; Farrell, D. E.

    1988-08-01

    Thick films of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) have been deposited on highly polished alumina, magnesia spinel, nickel aluminum titanate (Ni-Al-Ti), and barium tetratitanate (Ba-Ti) substrates by the screen printing technique. Properties of the films were found to be highly sensitive to the choice of the substrate material. The film on Ba-Ti turned green after firing, due to a reaction with the substrate and were insulating. A film on Ni-Al-Ti had a Tc (onset) of about 95 K and lost 90 percent of its resistance by about 75 K. However, even at 4 K it was not fully superconducting, possibly due to a reaction between the film and the substrate and interdiffusion of the reaction products. The film on alumina had Tc (onset) of about 96 K, Tc (zero) of about 66 K, and Delta Tc of about 10 K. The best film was obtained on spinel and had Tc (onset) of about 94 K, zero resistance at 81 K, and a transition width of about 7 K.

  10. Digital Textile Printing

    OpenAIRE

    Moltchanova, Julia

    2011-01-01

    Rapidly evolving technology of digital printing opens new opportunities on many markets. One of them is the printed fabric market where printing companies as well as clients benefit from new printing methods. This thesis focuses on the digital textile printing technology and its implementation for fabric-on-demand printing service in Finland. The purpose of this project was to study the technology behind digital textile printing, areas of application of this technology, the requirements ...

  11. Effect of doctoring on the performance of direct gravure printing for conductive microfine lines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phuong Hoang, Huu; Lim Ko, Sung

    2015-11-01

    Printed electronics on flexible thin film has challenged and inspired the motivation of scientists in many fields. Among traditional printing methods such as stamping, flexography, offset, screen-printing, and inkjet, the gravure method is expected to reduce costs and increase productivity for printed electronics applications. In this research, conductive microfine line patterns, which print out the layer as microelectrodes for organic thin film transistor (OTFT) or microcircuit lines, have been designed with different size widths and lengths according to the printing direction, MD (machine direction), and CMD (cross machine direction, or transverse direction, TD, which is popularly used in industry). These patterns were printed with nano-particle silver ink on PI thin film, but had some serious problems with discontinuity and less filling after doctoring and printing. To solve these problems, the doctoring effect is investigated and analyzed before ink transferring, mainly in the printing machine direction and CMD. The uniformity and accuracy of the microfine lines are controlled and improved in order to achieve the stability of the printed pattern lines. In this work, considering the effect of the deflection of the doctor blade in the CMD (transverse direction), a doctoring model in the CMD is proposed and compared with the experimental result. Experimentally, proper doctoring conditions like blade stiffness and doctoring pressure are sought.

  12. Effect of doctoring on the performance of direct gravure printing for conductive microfine lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoang, Huu Phuong; Ko, Sung Lim

    2015-01-01

    Printed electronics on flexible thin film has challenged and inspired the motivation of scientists in many fields. Among traditional printing methods such as stamping, flexography, offset, screen-printing, and inkjet, the gravure method is expected to reduce costs and increase productivity for printed electronics applications. In this research, conductive microfine line patterns, which print out the layer as microelectrodes for organic thin film transistor (OTFT) or microcircuit lines, have been designed with different size widths and lengths according to the printing direction, MD (machine direction), and CMD (cross machine direction, or transverse direction, TD, which is popularly used in industry). These patterns were printed with nano-particle silver ink on PI thin film, but had some serious problems with discontinuity and less filling after doctoring and printing. To solve these problems, the doctoring effect is investigated and analyzed before ink transferring, mainly in the printing machine direction and CMD. The uniformity and accuracy of the microfine lines are controlled and improved in order to achieve the stability of the printed pattern lines. In this work, considering the effect of the deflection of the doctor blade in the CMD (transverse direction), a doctoring model in the CMD is proposed and compared with the experimental result. Experimentally, proper doctoring conditions like blade stiffness and doctoring pressure are sought. (paper)

  13. Adhesive Stretchable Printed Conductive Thin Film Patterns on PDMS Surface with an Atmospheric Plasma Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chun-Yi; Liao, Ying-Chih

    2016-05-11

    In this study, a plasma surface modification with printing process was developed to fabricate printed flexible conductor patterns or devices directly on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface. An atmospheric plasma treatment was first used to oxidize the PDMS surface and create a hydrophilic silica surface layer, which was confirmed with photoelectron spectra. The plasma operating parameters, such as gas types and plasma powers, were optimized to obtain surface silica layers with the longest lifetime. Conductive paste with epoxy resin was screen-printed on the plasma-treated PDMS surface to fabricate flexible conductive tracks. As a result of the strong binding forces between epoxy resin and the silica surface layer, the printed patterns showed great adhesion on PDMS and were undamaged after several stringent adhesion tests. The printed conductive tracks showed strong mechanical stability and exhibited great electric conductivity under bending, twisting, and stretching conditions. Finally, a printed pressure sensor with good sensitivity and a fast response time was fabricated to demonstrate the capability of this method for the realization of printed electronic devices.

  14. FPGA-based multisensor real-time machine vision for banknote printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Rui; Türke, Thomas; Schaede, Johannes; Willeke, Harald; Lohweg, Volker

    2009-02-01

    Automatic sheet inspection in banknote production has been used as a standard quality control tool for more than a decade. As more and more print techniques and new security features are established, total quality in bank note printing must be guaranteed. This aspect has a direct impact on the research and development for bank note inspection systems in general in the sense of technological sustainability. It is accepted, that print defects are generated not only by printing parameter changes, but also by mechanical machine parameter changes, which will change unnoticed in production. Therefore, a new concept for a multi-sensory adaptive learning and classification model based on Fuzzy-Pattern- Classifiers for data inspection and machine conditioning is proposed. A general aim is to improve the known inspection techniques and propose an inspection methodology that can ensure a comprehensive quality control of the printed substrates processed by printing presses, especially printing presses which are designed to process substrates used in the course of the production of banknotes, security documents and others. Therefore, the research and development work in this area necessitates a change in concept for banknote inspection in general. In this paper a new generation of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) based real time inspection technology is presented, which allows not only colour inspection on banknote sheets, but has also the implementation flexibility for various inspection algorithms for security features, such as window threads, embedded threads, OVDs, watermarks, screen printing etc., and multi-sensory data processing. A variety of algorithms is described in the paper, which are designed for and implemented on FPGAs. The focus is based on algorithmic approaches.

  15. Biocompatible Hydrogels for Microarray Cell Printing and Encapsulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akshata Datar

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Conventional drug screening processes are a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, but highly rewarding when they are successful. To identify promising lead compounds, millions of compounds are traditionally screened against therapeutic targets on human cells grown on the surface of 96-wells. These two-dimensional (2D cell monolayers are physiologically irrelevant, thus, often providing false-positive or false-negative results, when compared to cells grown in three-dimensional (3D structures such as hydrogel droplets. However, 3D cell culture systems are not easily amenable to high-throughput screening (HTS, thus inherently low throughput, and requiring relatively large volume for cell-based assays. In addition, it is difficult to control cellular microenvironments and hard to obtain reliable cell images due to focus position and transparency issues. To overcome these problems, miniaturized 3D cell cultures in hydrogels were developed via cell printing techniques where cell spots in hydrogels can be arrayed on the surface of glass slides or plastic chips by microarray spotters and cultured in growth media to form cells encapsulated 3D droplets for various cell-based assays. These approaches can dramatically reduce assay volume, provide accurate control over cellular microenvironments, and allow us to obtain clear 3D cell images for high-content imaging (HCI. In this review, several hydrogels that are compatible to microarray printing robots are discussed for miniaturized 3D cell cultures.

  16. Stable and sensitive flow-through monitoring of phenol using a carbon nanotube based screen printed biosensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alarcon, G; Guix, M; Ambrosi, A; Merkoci, A [Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group, Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain); Ramirez Silva, M T [Departamento de Quimica, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa, 09340 Mexico Distrito Federal (Mexico); Palomar Pardave, M E, E-mail: arben.merkoci.icn@uab.es [Departamento de Materiales, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Azcapotzalco, 02200 Mexico Distrito Federal (Mexico)

    2010-06-18

    A stable and sensitive biosensor for phenol detection based on a screen printed electrode modified with tyrosinase, multiwall carbon nanotubes and glutaraldehyde is designed and applied in a flow injection analytical system. The proposed carbon nanotube matrix is easy to prepare and ensures a very good entrapment environment for the enzyme, being simpler and cheaper than other reported strategies. In addition, the proposed matrix allows for a very fast operation of the enzyme, that leads to a response time of 15 s. Several parameters such as the working potential, pH of the measuring solution, biosensor response time, detection limit, linear range of response and sensitivity are studied. The obtained detection limit for phenol was 0.14 x 10{sup -6} M. The biosensor keeps its activity during continuous FIA measurements at room temperature, showing a stable response (RSD 5%) within a two week working period at room temperature. The developed biosensor is being applied for phenol detection in seawater samples and seems to be a promising alternative for automatic control of seawater contamination. The developed detection system can be extended to other enzyme biosensors with interest for several other applications.

  17. A carbon nanotube screen-printed electrode for label-free detection of the human cardiac troponin T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Bárbara V M; Cavalcanti, Igor T; Silva, Mízia M S; Dutra, Rosa F

    2013-12-15

    Label-free immunosensor based on amine-functionalized carbon nanotubes screen-printed electrode is described for detection of the cardiac troponin T, an important marker of acute myocardial infarction. The disposable sensor was fabricated by tightly squeezing an adhesive carbon ink containing carbon nanotubes onto a polyethylene terephthalate substrate forming a thin film. The use of carbon nanotubes increased the reproducibility and stability of the sensor, and the amine groups permitted nonrandom immobilization of antibodies against cardiac troponin T. Amperometric responses were obtained by differential pulse voltammetry in presence of a ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox probe after troponin T incubation. The calibration curve indicated a linear response of troponin T between 0.0025 ng mL(-1) and 0.5 ng mL(-1), with a good correlation coefficient (r=0.995; p<0.0001, n=7). The limit of detection (0.0035 ng mL(-1) cardiac troponin T) was lower than any previously described by immunosensors and was comparable with conventional analytical methods. The high reproducibility and clinical range obtained using this immunosensor support its utility as a potential tool for point-of-care acute myocardial infarction diagnostic testing. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Stable and sensitive flow-through monitoring of phenol using a carbon nanotube based screen printed biosensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alarcon, G; Guix, M; Ambrosi, A; Merkoci, A; Ramirez Silva, M T; Palomar Pardave, M E

    2010-01-01

    A stable and sensitive biosensor for phenol detection based on a screen printed electrode modified with tyrosinase, multiwall carbon nanotubes and glutaraldehyde is designed and applied in a flow injection analytical system. The proposed carbon nanotube matrix is easy to prepare and ensures a very good entrapment environment for the enzyme, being simpler and cheaper than other reported strategies. In addition, the proposed matrix allows for a very fast operation of the enzyme, that leads to a response time of 15 s. Several parameters such as the working potential, pH of the measuring solution, biosensor response time, detection limit, linear range of response and sensitivity are studied. The obtained detection limit for phenol was 0.14 x 10 -6 M. The biosensor keeps its activity during continuous FIA measurements at room temperature, showing a stable response (RSD 5%) within a two week working period at room temperature. The developed biosensor is being applied for phenol detection in seawater samples and seems to be a promising alternative for automatic control of seawater contamination. The developed detection system can be extended to other enzyme biosensors with interest for several other applications.

  19. Measurement of labile copper in wine by medium exchange stripping potentiometry utilising screen printed carbon electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Andrew C; Kontoudakis, Nikolaos; Barril, Celia; Schmidtke, Leigh M; Scollary, Geoffrey R

    2016-07-01

    The presence of copper in wine is known to impact the reductive, oxidative and colloidal stability of wine, and techniques enabling measurement of different forms of copper in wine are of particular interest in understanding these spoilage processes. Electrochemical stripping techniques developed to date require significant pretreatment of wine, potentially disturbing the copper binding equilibria. A thin mercury film on a screen printed carbon electrode was utilised in a flow system for the direct analysis of labile copper in red and white wine by constant current stripping potentiometry with medium exchange. Under the optimised conditions, including an enrichment time of 500s and constant current of 1.0μA, the response range was linear from 0.015 to 0.200mg/L. The analysis of 52 red and white wines showed that this technique generally provided lower labile copper concentrations than reported for batch measurement by related techniques. Studies in a model system and in finished wines showed that the copper sulfide was not measured as labile copper, and that loss of hydrogen sulfide via volatilisation induced an increase in labile copper within the model wine system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. A laser printing based approach for printed electronics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, T.; Hu, M.; Guo, Q.; Zhang, W.; Yang, J., E-mail: jyang@eng.uwo.ca [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Western University, London N6A 3K7 (Canada); Liu, Y.; Lau, W. [Chengdu Green Energy and Green Manufacturing Technology R& D Center, 355 Tengfei Road, 620107 Chengdu (China); Wang, X. [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Western University, London N6A 3K7 (Canada); Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

    2016-03-07

    Here we report a study of printing of electronics using an office use laser printer. The proposed method eliminates those critical disadvantages of solvent-based printing techniques by taking the advantages of electroless deposition and laser printing. The synthesized toner acts as a catalyst for the electroless copper deposition as well as an adhesion-promoting buffer layer between the substrate and deposited copper. The easy metallization of printed patterns and strong metal-substrate adhesion make it an especially effective method for massive production of flexible printed circuits. The proposed process is a high throughput, low cost, efficient, and environmentally benign method for flexible electronics manufacturing.

  1. A laser printing based approach for printed electronics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, T.; Hu, M.; Guo, Q.; Zhang, W.; Yang, J.; Liu, Y.; Lau, W.; Wang, X.

    2016-01-01

    Here we report a study of printing of electronics using an office use laser printer. The proposed method eliminates those critical disadvantages of solvent-based printing techniques by taking the advantages of electroless deposition and laser printing. The synthesized toner acts as a catalyst for the electroless copper deposition as well as an adhesion-promoting buffer layer between the substrate and deposited copper. The easy metallization of printed patterns and strong metal-substrate adhesion make it an especially effective method for massive production of flexible printed circuits. The proposed process is a high throughput, low cost, efficient, and environmentally benign method for flexible electronics manufacturing.

  2. Nano carbon black-based screen printed sensor for carbofuran, isoprocarb, carbaryl and fenobucarb detection: application to grain samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Della Pelle, Flavio; Angelini, Claudia; Sergi, Manuel; Del Carlo, Michele; Pepe, Alessia; Compagnone, Dario

    2018-08-15

    An electrochemical screening assay for the detection of phenyl carbamates (i.e. carbaryl, carbofuran, isoprocarb and fenobucarb) was developed and applied to grains samples (i.e. durum wheat, soft wheat and maize). Nano carbon black (CB) was strategically employed to realize an effective, reproducible, fouling resistant, low cost, delocalisable screen printed sensor (CB-SPE). CB-SPEs morphology (SEM and FEM) and electrochemical property (CV and EIS) were studied. The final pesticides analysis protocol consist of: (i) extraction of the analyte (just by mixing), (ii) alkaline hydrolysis (10 min R.T.), (iii) DPV detection directly of 100 µL of extract on the CB-SPE surface. Linear range between 1.0 × 10 -7 and 1.0 × 10 -4 mol L -1 , good determination coefficients (R 2 ≥ 0.9971) and satisfactory sensitivity (≥ 3.90 × 10 -1 A M -1 cm -2 ) and LODs (≤ 8.0 × 10 -8 mol L -1 ) were obtained for all the analytes. Excellent recoveries (78-102%) and accuracy (relative error vs. HPLC-MS/MS between 9.0% and -7.8%) resulted from the analysis of grains samples. The proposed CB-SPE based approach has demonstrated to be able to detect carbaryl at Maximum residue limits levels (MRLs), allowing class selective detection of commonly employed phenyl carbamates in food samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Printed optically transparent graphene cellulose electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinar, Dogan; Knopf, George K.; Nikumb, Suwas; Andrushchenko, Anatoly

    2016-02-01

    Optically transparent electrodes are a key component in variety of products including bioelectronics, touch screens, flexible displays, low emissivity windows, and photovoltaic cells. Although highly conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) films are often used in these electrode applications, the raw material is very expensive and the electrodes often fracture when mechanically stressed. An alternative low-cost material for inkjet printing transparent electrodes on glass and flexible polymer substrates is described in this paper. The water based ink is created by using a hydrophilic cellulose derivative, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), to help suspend the naturally hydrophobic graphene (G) sheets in a solvent composed of 70% DI water and 30% 2-butoxyethanol. The CMC chain has hydrophobic and hydrophilic functional sites which allow adsorption on G sheets and, therefore, permit the graphene to be stabilized in water by electrostatic and steric forces. Once deposited on the functionalized substrate the electrical conductivity of the printed films can be "tuned" by decomposing the cellulose stabilizer using thermal reduction. The entire electrode can be thermally reduced in an oven or portions of the electrode thermally modified using a laser annealing process. The thermal process can reduce the sheet resistance of G-CMC films to < 100 Ω/sq. Experimental studies show that the optical transmittance and sheet resistance of the G-CMC conductive electrode is a dependent on the film thickness (ie. superimposed printed layers). The printed electrodes have also been doped with AuCl3 to increase electrical conductivity without significantly increasing film thickness and, thereby, maintain high optical transparency.

  4. Research Update: Large-area deposition, coating, printing, and processing techniques for the upscaling of perovskite solar cell technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Razza

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available To bring perovskite solar cells to the industrial world, performance must be maintained at the photovoltaic module scale. Here we present large-area manufacturing and processing options applicable to large-area cells and modules. Printing and coating techniques, such as blade coating, slot-die coating, spray coating, screen printing, inkjet printing, and gravure printing (as alternatives to spin coating, as well as vacuum or vapor based deposition and laser patterning techniques are being developed for an effective scale-up of the technology. The latter also enables the manufacture of solar modules on flexible substrates, an option beneficial for many applications and for roll-to-roll production.

  5. The best printing methods to print satellite images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.A. Yousif

    2011-12-01

    In this paper different printing systems were used to print an image of SPOT-4 satellite, caver part of Sharm Elshekh area, Sinai, Egypt, on the same type of paper as much as possible, especially in the photography. This step is followed by measuring the experimental data, and analyzed colors to determine the best printing systems for satellite image printing data. The laser system is the more printing system where produce a wider range of color and highest densities of ink and access much color detail. Followed by the offset system which it recorded the best dot gain. Moreover, the study shows that it can use the advantages of each method according to the satellite image color and quantity to be produced.

  6. Performances of carbon-based screen-printed electrodes modified by diazonium salts with various carboxylic functions for trace metal sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bouden, Sarra; Bellakhal, Nizar; Chausse, Annie; Vautrin-Ul, Christine

    2014-01-01

    The electrochemically induced functionalization of carbon-based screen-printed-electrodes (SPEs) by phenyl groups, having one or two carboxylic functions, was achieved by reduction of in situ generated diazonium salts in aqueous media. The corresponding diazonium cations of 4-aminobenzoic acid, 4-aminophthalic acid, 3-(4-aminophenyl) propionic acid, 3-(4-aminophenyl)-2-propenoic acid and 5-aminoisophthalic acid were generated in situ with sodium nitrite in aqueous H_2SO_4. The electrochemical detection of Pb(II) with the grafted SPEs was investigated using Pb(II) 5 * 10"-"8 M solutions. The performances of the grafted SPEs were found to be dependent on the number of carboxylic groups, on their position on the phenyl ring, on the olefinic or the aliphatic character of the chain bearing the carboxylic group. The performances of mono-4-carboxyphenyl and 3,5-dicarboxyphenyl grafted SPEs for Cd(II) and Cu(II) trace detection were tested and compared. (authors)

  7. All-printed paper-based memory

    KAUST Repository

    He, Jr-Hau

    2016-06-16

    All-printed paper-based substrate memory devices are described which can be prepared by a process that includes coating, using a screen printer, one or more areas of a paper substrate (102) with a conductor material (104), such as a carbon paste, to form a first electrode, depositing, with an ink jet printer, a layer of resistance switching insulator material (106), such as titanium dioxide, over one or more areas of the conductor material, and depositing, with an ink jet printer, a layer of metal (108), such as silver, over one or more areas of the titanium dioxide to form a second electrode.

  8. Duplicating the fine art reproduction process: the technology used for guerilla ink-jet printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herron, Stephen

    1998-12-01

    Accurate, automatic color reproduction is the goal of much of color technology. However, there is a need to improve reproduction in only the luminous or gray axis. Quadtone reproduction takes advantage of the four device CMYK color planes to provide greater gray-scale depth within the limitations of 8-bit per channel band-width. 'Quadtone' refers to photos reproduced using four tones of the same colorant. It is the printed imposition of four carefully selected shades of ink that result in a greater number of densities. Guerilla printing is a collection of algorithms using the CMYK channels to simulate traditional photography on an inkjet printer. Guerilla printing increases density values, defines detail and produces near continuous-tone screens.

  9. Electrochemically induced chemical sensor properties in graphite screen-printed electrodes: The case of a chemical sensor for uranium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kostaki, Vasiliki T.; Florou, Ageliki B.; Prodromidis, Mamas I.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Electrochemical treatment endows analytical characteristics to SPEs. → A sensitive chemical sensor for uranium is described. → Performance is due to a synergy between electrochemical treatment and ink's solvents. → The amount of the solvent controls the achievable sensitivity. - Abstract: We report for the first time on the possibility to develop chemical sensors based on electrochemically treated, non-modified, graphite screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). The applied galvanostatic treatment (5 μA for 6 min in 0.1 M H 2 SO 4 ) is demonstrated to be effective for the development of chemical sensors for the determination of uranium in aqueous solutions. A detailed study of the effect of various parameters related to the fabrication of SPEs on the performance of the resulting sensors along with some diagnostic experiments on conventional graphite electrodes showed that the inducible analytical characteristics are due to a synergy between electrochemical treatment and ink's solvents. Indeed, the amount of the latter onto the printed working layer controls the achievable sensitivity. The preconcentration of the analyte was performed in an electroless mode in an aqueous solutions of U(VI), pH 4.6, and then, the accumulated species was reduced by means of a differential pulse voltammetry scan in 0.1 M H 3 BO 3 , pH 3. Under selected experimental conditions, a linear calibration curve over the range 5 x 10 -9 to 10 -7 M U(VI) was constructed. The 3σ limit of detection at a preconcentration time of 30 min, and the relative standard deviation of the method were 4.5 x 10 -9 M U(VI) and >12% (n = 5, 5 x 10 -8 M U(VI)), respectively. The effect of potential interferences was also examined.

  10. Differences in Perceived Difficulty in Print and Online Patient Education Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farnsworth, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Context: Written patient education materials frequently exceed the reading ability of the general public. Patients are often intimidated by the task of reading patient education materials, perceiving the materials’ difficulty levels as prohibitive, even when they do not exceed the patients’ reading abilities. It is unclear how the delivery mechanism—print or a computer screen—affects a patient’s reading experience through his/her perception of its difficulty. Objective: To determine whether first-year college students perceived online or print-based patient education materials as more difficult to read. Design: Convenience sampling of first-year college students. Results: Some first-year college students perceived online patient education materials to be more difficult to read than print-based ones—even when the reading level of the patient education materials was similar. Demographic information about this sample’s high levels of digital literacy suggests that other populations might also perceive online patient education materials as more difficult to read than print-based equivalents. Patients’ perceptions of the difficulty of patient education materials influenced their ability to effectively learn from those materials. Conclusion: This article concludes with a call for more research into patients’ perceptions of difficulty of patient education materials in print vs on a screen. PMID:25662526

  11. Single Frequency Impedance Analysis on Reduced Graphene Oxide Screen-Printed Electrode for Biomolecular Detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajesh; Singal, Shobhita; Kotnala, Ravinder K

    2017-10-01

    A biofunctionalized reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was constructed as an immunosensor for C-reactive protein (CRP) detection, a biomarker released in early stage acute myocardial infarction. A different approach of single frequency analysis (SFA) study was utilized for the biomolecular sensing, by monitoring the response in phase angle changes obtained at an optimized frequency resulting from antigen-antibody interactions. A set of measurements were carried out to optimize a frequency where a maximum change in phase angle was observed, and in this case, we found it at around 10 Hz. The bioelectrode was characterized by contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical techniques. A concentration-dependent response of immunosensor to CRP with the change in phase angle, at a fixed frequency of 10 Hz, was found to be in the range of 10 ng mL -1 to 10 μg mL -1 in PBS and was fit quantitative well with the Hill-Langmuir equation. Based on the concentration-response data, the dissociation constant (K d ) was found to be 3.5 nM (with a Hill coefficient n = 0.57), which indicated a negative cooperativity with high anti-CRP (antibody)-CRP (antigen) binding at the electrode surface. A low-frequency analysis of sensing with an ease of measurement on a disposable electroactive rGO-modified electrode with high selectivity and sensitivity makes it a potential tool for biological sensors.

  12. Graphite Screen-Printed Electrodes Applied for the Accurate and Reagentless Sensing of pH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galdino, Flávia E; Smith, Jamie P; Kwamou, Sophie I; Kampouris, Dimitrios K; Iniesta, Jesus; Smith, Graham C; Bonacin, Juliano A; Banks, Craig E

    2015-12-01

    A reagentless pH sensor based upon disposable and economical graphite screen-printed electrodes (GSPEs) is demonstrated for the first time. The voltammetric pH sensor utilizes GSPEs which are chemically pretreated to form surface immobilized oxygenated species that, when their redox behavior is monitored, give a Nernstian response over a large pH range (1-13). An excellent experimental correlation is observed between the voltammetric potential and pH over the entire pH range of 1-13 providing a simple approach with which to monitor solution pH. Such a linear response over this dynamic pH range is not usually expected but rather deviation from linearity is encountered at alkaline pH values; absence of this has previously been attributed to a change in the pKa value of surface immobilized groups from that of solution phase species. This non-deviation, which is observed here in the case of our facile produced reagentless pH sensor and also reported in the literature for pH sensitive compounds immobilized upon carbon electrodes/surfaces, where a linear response is observed over the entire pH range, is explained alternatively for the first time. The performance of the GSPE pH sensor is also directly compared with a glass pH probe and applied to the measurement of pH in "real" unbuffered samples where an excellent correlation between the two protocols is observed validating the proposed GSPE pH sensor.

  13. Disposable L-lactate biosensor based on a screen-printed carbon electrode enhanced by graphene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Dandan; He, Yu; Rong, Yuanzhen; Wang, You; Li, Guang

    2016-04-01

    In this work, an amperometric L-lactate biosensor based on a graphene-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was constructed. First, the electrocatalytic performance of the SPCE modified with graphene by a one-step electrodeposition process (OerGO/SPCE) was investigated. The cyclic voltammogram of OerGO/SPCE, which showed a well-defined redox peak, had a smaller peak potential separation than that of SPCE, revealing the improvement in electron transfer speed brought about by modifying with graphene. Next, lactate oxidase and potassium ferricyanide were dropped on the OerGO/SPCE to construct a graphene-modified L-lactate biosensor (LOD/K3[Fe(CN)6]/OerGO/SPCE). The proposed biosensor, with a detection limit of 60 μM, had a high sensitivity (42.42 μA mM-1 cm-2) when working at a low working potential (0.15 V). The linear range was 0.5 mM-15 mM, covering the detecting range of L-lactate in clinical applications. The L-lactate biosensor had a short response time (10 s) and required only 10 μl of the sample. This L-lactate sensor modified with electrodeposited graphene had a larger sensitivity than that based on the bare SPCE. Thus, our low-cost and disposable L-lactate biosensor enhanced by graphene can perform as an attractive electrochemical device that can be manufactured for point-of-care testing (POCT) devices and be employed in POCT applications.

  14. Disposable L-lactate biosensor based on a screen-printed carbon electrode enhanced by graphene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tu, Dandan; He, Yu; Rong, Yuanzhen; Wang, You; Li, Guang

    2016-01-01

    In this work, an amperometric L-lactate biosensor based on a graphene-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was constructed. First, the electrocatalytic performance of the SPCE modified with graphene by a one-step electrodeposition process (OerGO/SPCE) was investigated. The cyclic voltammogram of OerGO/SPCE, which showed a well-defined redox peak, had a smaller peak potential separation than that of SPCE, revealing the improvement in electron transfer speed brought about by modifying with graphene. Next, lactate oxidase and potassium ferricyanide were dropped on the OerGO/SPCE to construct a graphene-modified L-lactate biosensor (LOD/K 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ]/OerGO/SPCE). The proposed biosensor, with a detection limit of 60 μM, had a high sensitivity (42.42 μA mM −1 cm −2 ) when working at a low working potential (0.15 V). The linear range was 0.5 mM–15 mM, covering the detecting range of L-lactate in clinical applications. The L-lactate biosensor had a short response time (10 s) and required only 10 μl of the sample. This L-lactate sensor modified with electrodeposited graphene had a larger sensitivity than that based on the bare SPCE. Thus, our low-cost and disposable L-lactate biosensor enhanced by graphene can perform as an attractive electrochemical device that can be manufactured for point-of-care testing (POCT) devices and be employed in POCT applications. (paper)

  15. Screen vs. paper: what is the difference for reading and learning?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Myrberg

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available We have all seen the newspaper headlines: screens make us read slower, learn less deeply, remember less and sleep worse. Is this why students prefer to print out their electronic textbooks? We suspected it was habit and attitude rather than measurable cognitive effort during reading that made people prefer print texts, but we needed evidence. We decided to find out what recent research had to say on the subject and read scholarly articles addressing the issues of the actual reading and/or learning processes involved in reading on screen compared to on paper. We then considered these results in relation to our own experience of using tablets and teaching scholars and students how to use their tablets/smartphones in their work. Habit and attitude appeared to be important, and a digitally born textbook is by far the best alternative to a print textbook when it comes to studying. But even those who prefer to read on screens are originally native paper readers, and as long as the existing application interfaces cannot address the shortcomings of screens regarding spatial landmarks, we will keep returning to paper under certain circumstances. We would like to see developers make more user-friendly e-readers, and authors and publishers learn to fully utilize of the potential of the e-book.

  16. Stretched-to-compressed-exponential crossover observed in the electrical degradation kinetics of some spinel-metallic screen-printed structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balitska, V.; Shpotyuk, O.; Brunner, M.; Hadzaman, I.

    2018-02-01

    Thermally-induced (170 °C) degradation-relaxation kinetics is examined in screen-printed structures composed of spinel Cu0.1Ni0.1Co1.6Mn1.2O4 ceramics with conductive Ag or Ag-Pd layered electrodes. Structural inhomogeneities due to Ag and Ag-Pd diffusants in spinel phase environment play a decisive role in non-exponential kinetics of negative relative resistance drift. If Ag migration in spinel is inhibited by Pd addition due to Ag-Pd alloy, the kinetics attains stretched exponential behavior with ∼0.58 exponent, typical for one-stage diffusion in structurally-dispersive media. Under deep Ag penetration into spinel ceramics, as for thick films with Ag-layered electrodes, the degradation kinetics drastically changes, attaining features of two-step diffusing process governed by compressed-exponential dependence with power index of ∼1.68. Crossover from stretched- to compressed-exponential kinetics in spinel-metallic structures is mapped on free energy landscape of non-barrier multi-well system under strong perturbation from equilibrium, showing transition with a character downhill scenario resulting in faster than exponential decaying.

  17. A new amperometric glucose biosensor based on screen printed carbon electrodes with rhenium(IV - oxide as a mediator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALBANA VESELI

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Rhenium(IV-oxide, ReO2, was used as a mediator for carbon paste (CPE and screen printed carbon (SPCE electrodes for the catalytic amperometric determination of hydro-gen peroxide, whose overpotential for the reduction could be lowered to -0.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl in flow injection analysis (FIA using phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH=7.5 as a carrier. For hydrogen peroxide a detection limit (3σ of 0.8 mg L-1 could be obtained.ReO2-modified SPCEs were used to design biosensors with a template enzyme, i.e. glucose oxidase, entrapped in a Nafion membrane. The resulting glucose sensor showed a linear dynamic range up to 200 mg L-1 glucose with a detection limit (3σ of 0.6 mg L-1. The repeatability was 2.1 % RSD (n = 5 measurements, the reproducibility 5.4 % (n = 5 sensors. The sensor could be applied for the determination of glucose in blood serum in good agreement with a reference method.

  18. Amperometric Biosensor Based on Diamine Oxidase/Platinum Nanoparticles/Graphene/Chitosan Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode for Histamine Detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apetrei, Irina Mirela; Apetrei, Constantin

    2016-03-24

    This work describes the development and optimization studies of a novel biosensor employed in the detection and quantification of histamine in freshwater fish samples. The proposed biosensor is based on a modified carbon screen-printed electrode with diamineoxidase, graphene and platinum nanoparticles, which detects the hydrogen peroxide formed by the chemical process biocatalysed by the enzyme diamine oxidase and immobilized onto the nanostructurated surface of the receptor element. The amperometric measurements with the biosensor have been implemented in buffer solution of pH 7.4, applying an optimal low potential of +0.4 V. The novel biosensor shows high sensitivity (0.0631 μA·μM), low detection limit (2.54 × 10(-8) M) and a broad linear domain from 0.1 to 300 μM. The applicability in natural complex samples and the analytical parameters of this enzyme sensor have been performed in the quantification of histamine in freshwater fish. An excellent correlation among results achieved with the developed biosensor and results found with the standard method for all freshwater fish samples has been achieved.

  19. Application of MoS{sub 2} modified screen-printed electrodes for highly sensitive detection of bovine serum albumin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kukkar, Manil [Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIR-CSIO), Sector 30-C, Chandigarh, 160030 (India); Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-CSIO, Sector 30-C, Chandigarh, 160030 (India); Sharma, Ashish [Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIR-CSIO), Sector 30-C, Chandigarh, 160030 (India); UIET, Panjab University, Sector 14, Chandigarh, 160014 (India); Kumar, Parveen [Department of Biotechnology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, 136119 (India); Kim, Ki-Hyun, E-mail: kkim61@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763 (Korea, Republic of); Deep, Akash, E-mail: dr.akashdeep@csio.res.in [Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIR-CSIO), Sector 30-C, Chandigarh, 160030 (India); Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-CSIO, Sector 30-C, Chandigarh, 160030 (India)

    2016-10-05

    The present work reports the application of a new molybdenum disulphide (MoS{sub 2})-based electrochemical platform for highly sensitive quantitation of an iron-binding protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA). The gold screen-printed electrodes were modified with MoS{sub 2} nanoflakes, followed by bioconjugation with anti-BSA antibodies. Using the above bioelectrode, cyclic voltammetric analysis was carried out in the presence of a Fe{sup 3+}/Fe{sup 2+} redox probe which exhibited a linear response of peak current with varying concentrations of BSA up to 10 ng/mL (with a detection limit of 0.006 ng/mL). This study is novel in that it shows a considerable enhancement of signal during electrochemical sensing of a protein. - Highlights: • MoS{sub 2} nanoflakes have been used for an electrochemical immunosensor. • The sensor's response was proportional to the antigen concentration. • Highly sensitive and specific detection of iron-binding protein ‘BSA’ is achieved. • A wide linear range of detection of BSA is demonstrated.

  20. Digital printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobotka, Werner K.

    1997-02-01

    Digital printing is described as a tool to replace conventional printing machines completely. Still this goal was not reached until now with any of the digital printing technologies to be described in the paper. Productivity and costs are still the main parameters and are not really solved until now. Quality in digital printing is no problem anymore. Definition of digital printing is to transfer digital datas directly on the paper surface. This step can be carried out directly or with the use of an intermediate image carrier. Keywords in digital printing are: computer- to-press; erasable image carrier; image carrier with memory. Digital printing is also the logical development of the new digital area as it is pointed out in Nicholas Negropotes book 'Being Digital' and also the answer to networking and Internet technologies. Creating images text and color in one country and publishing the datas in another country or continent is the main advantage. Printing on demand another big advantage and last but not least personalization the last big advantage. Costs and being able to coop with this new world of prepress technology is the biggest disadvantage. Therefore the very optimistic growth rates for the next few years are really nonexistent. The development of complete new markets is too slow and the replacing of old markets is too small.

  1. Recent trends in print portals and Web2Print applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuijn, Chris

    2009-01-01

    For quite some time now, the printing business has been under heavy pressure because of overcapacity, dropping prices and the delocalization of the production to low income countries. To survive in this competitive world, printers have to invest in tools that, on one hand, reduce the production costs and, on the other hand, create additional value for their customers (print buyers). The creation of customer portals on top of prepress production systems allowing print buyers to upload their content, approve the uploaded pages based on soft proofs (rendered by the underlying production system) and further follow-up the generation of the printed material, has been illustrative in this respect. These developments resulted in both automation for the printer and added value for the print buyer. Many traditional customer portals assume that the printed products have been identified before they are presented to the print buyer in the portal environment. The products are, in this case, typically entered by the printing organization in a so-called MISi system after the official purchase order has been received from the print buyer. Afterwards, the MIS system then submits the product to the customer portal. Some portals, however, also support the initiation of printed products by the print buyer directly. This workflow creates additional flexibility but also makes things much more complex. We here have to distinguish between special products that are defined ad-hoc by the print buyer and standardized products that are typically selected out of catalogs. Special products are most of the time defined once and the level of detail required in terms of production parameters is quite high. Systems that support such products typically have a built-in estimation module, or, at least, a direct connection to an MIS system that calculates the prices and adds a specific mark-up to calculate a quote. Often, the markup is added by an account manager on a customer by customer basis; in this

  2. Quality Imaging - Comparison of CR Mammography with Screen-Film Mammography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaona, E.; Azorin Nieto, J.; Iran Diaz Gongora, J. A.; Arreola, M.; Casian Castellanos, G.; Perdigon Castaneda, G. M.; Franco Enriquez, J. G.

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this work is a quality imaging comparison of CR mammography images printed to film by a laser printer with screen-film mammography. A Giotto and Elscintec dedicated mammography units with fully automatic exposure and a nominal large focal spot size of 0.3 mm were used for the image acquisition of phantoms in screen-film mammography. Four CR mammography units from two different manufacturers and three dedicated x-ray mammography units with fully automatic exposure and a nominal large focal spot size of 0.3 mm were used for the image acquisition of phantoms in CR mammography. The tests quality image included an assessment of system resolution, scoring phantom images, Artifacts, mean optical density and density difference (contrast). In this study, screen-film mammography with a quality control program offers a significantly greater level of quality image relative to CR mammography images printed on film

  3. Electrochemical Sensor for Bilirubin Detection Using Screen Printed Electrodes Functionalized with Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madasamy Thangamuthu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Practice oriented point-of-care diagnostics require easy-to-handle, miniaturized, and low-cost analytical tools. In a novel approach, screen printed carbon electrodes (SPEs, which were functionalized with nanomaterials, are employed for selective measurements of bilirubin, which is an important biomarker for jaundice. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT and graphene separately deposited on SPEs provide the core of an electrochemical sensor for bilirubin. The electrocatalytic activity towards bilirubin oxidation (bilirubin to biliverdin was observed at +0.25 V. In addition, a further peak corresponding to the electrochemical conversion of biliverdin into purpurin appeared at +0.48 V. When compared to MWCNT, the graphene type shows a 3-fold lower detection limit (0.3 ± 0.022 nM and 0.1 ± 0.018 nM, respectively, moreover, the graphene type exhibits a larger linear range (0.1–600 µM than MWCNT (0.5–500 µM with a two-fold better sensitivity, i.e., 30 nA µM−1 cm−2, and 15 nA µM−1 cm−2, respectively. The viability is validated through measurements of bilirubin in blood serum samples and the selectivity is ensured by inhibiting common interfering biological substrates using an ionic nafion membrane. The presented approach enables the design and implementation of low cost and miniaturized electrochemical sensors.

  4. Label-Free Detection of Salivary Pepsin Using Gold Nanoparticle/Polypyrrole Nanocoral Modified Screen-Printed Electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doyeon Lee

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Detection of salivary pepsin has been given attention as a new diagnostic tool for laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR disease, because saliva collection is non-invasive and relatively comfortable. In this study, we prepared polypyrrole nanocorals (PPNCs on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE by a soft template synthesis method, using β-naphthalenesulfonic acid (NSA (for short, PPNCs/SPCE. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs were then decorated on PPNCs/SPCE by electrodeposition (for short, GNP/PPNCs/SPCE. To construct the immunosensor, pepsin antibody was immobilized on GNP/PPNCs/SPCE. Next, citric acid was applied to prevent non-specific binding and change the electrode surface charge before pepsin incubation. Electrochemical stepwise characterization was performed using cyclic voltammetry, and immunosensor response toward different pepsin concentrations was measured by differential pulsed voltammetry. As a result, our electrochemical immunosensor showed a sensitive detection performance toward pepsin with a linear range from 6.25 to 100 ng/mL and high specificity toward pepsin, as well as a low limit of detection of 2.2 ng/mL. Finally, we quantified the pepsin levels in saliva samples of LPR patients (n = 2, showing that the results were concordant with those of a conventional ELISA method. Therefore, we expect that this electrochemical immunosensor could be helpful for preliminarily diagnosing LPR through the detection of pepsin in saliva.

  5. Electrochemical Sensor for Bilirubin Detection Using Screen Printed Electrodes Functionalized with Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thangamuthu, Madasamy; Gabriel, Willimann Eric; Santschi, Christian; Martin, Olivier J F

    2018-03-07

    Practice oriented point-of-care diagnostics require easy-to-handle, miniaturized, and low-cost analytical tools. In a novel approach, screen printed carbon electrodes (SPEs), which were functionalized with nanomaterials, are employed for selective measurements of bilirubin, which is an important biomarker for jaundice. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene separately deposited on SPEs provide the core of an electrochemical sensor for bilirubin. The electrocatalytic activity towards bilirubin oxidation (bilirubin to biliverdin) was observed at +0.25 V. In addition, a further peak corresponding to the electrochemical conversion of biliverdin into purpurin appeared at +0.48 V. When compared to MWCNT, the graphene type shows a 3-fold lower detection limit (0.3 ± 0.022 nM and 0.1 ± 0.018 nM, respectively), moreover, the graphene type exhibits a larger linear range (0.1-600 µM) than MWCNT (0.5-500 µM) with a two-fold better sensitivity, i.e., 30 nA µM -1 cm -2 , and 15 nA µM -1 cm -2 , respectively. The viability is validated through measurements of bilirubin in blood serum samples and the selectivity is ensured by inhibiting common interfering biological substrates using an ionic nafion membrane. The presented approach enables the design and implementation of low cost and miniaturized electrochemical sensors.

  6. [The influence of printing technology conditions on the accuracy and reproducibility of printed contrast panels for assessing contrast sensitivity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raabe, T; Jung, U; Wilhelm, H

    2014-08-01

    Contrast studies can provide important knowledge for treatment decisions before surgery or for assessing the driving ability of professional drivers. Accordingly, high demands are placed on contrast panels to obtain reliable and reproducible results. The aim of the study is to find out if the contrast panels on the market meet the requirements. On the basis of measurement evaluation and schematic presentations potential sources of error can be identified. These sources of error may have a decisive influence on the assessment of contrast vision. Far-reaching analyses have shown that three parameters can have a significant influence on the accuracy and reproducibility of printed contrast panels. This holds for certain properties of the printing substrate, the type of representation of display element, and the choice of the colourant. Only the correct interaction between the substrate and the print colour effects an angle-independent contrast. A matt substrate is necessary, which has a low difference to the printed contrast element in respect of glow, so that possible angle differences have no influence on the contrast assessment. The contrast elements of a contrast panel vary in brightness. Conventional methods for typographical representation of different brightnesses use the method of screening. This causes undesirable edges, which weaken in particular the lower-contrast elements unintentionally. Use of special colours can avoid this effect. In the visible wavelength range the studied contrast elements have an irregular absorption behaviour. Because of differences between the lighting surroundings, this can lead to a differentiated stimulation of cones in practice. Appropriate colourants have a constant absorption behaviour. To get representative results of contrast studies the production of contrast panels needs more knowledge about the interaction between paper and colour than is typically required for print products. On the basis of a prototype optimisation

  7. Screen-printed electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes or graphene for simultaneous determination of melatonin and serotonin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomez, Federico José Vicente; Martín, Aída; Escarpa, Alberto; Silva, María Fernanda

    2015-01-01

    Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene have been tested as carbon allotropes for the modification of carbon screen-printed electrodes (CSPEs) to simultaneously determine melatonin (MT) and serotonin (5-HT). Two groups of CSPEs, both 4 mm in diameter, were explored: The first includes commercial SWCNT, MWCNT and graphene, the second includes SWCNT, MWCNT, graphene oxide nanoribbons and reduced nanoribbons that were drop casted on the electrodes. The carbon nanomaterials enhanced the electroactive area in the following order: CSPE

  8. Comparative analysis of print and multimedia health materials: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Elizabeth A H; Makoul, Gregory; Bojarski, Elizabeth A; Bailey, Stacy Cooper; Waite, Katherine R; Rapp, David N; Baker, David W; Wolf, Michael S

    2012-10-01

    Evaluate the evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of multimedia and print as modes of dissemination for patient education materials; examine whether development of these materials addressed health literacy. A structured literature review utilizing Medline, PsycInfo, and the Cumulative Index to the Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), supplemented by reference mining. Of 738 studies screened, 30 effectively compared multimedia and print materials. Studies offered 56 opportunities for assessing the effect of medium on various outcomes (e.g., knowledge). In 30 instances (54%), no difference was noted between multimedia and print in terms of patient outcomes. Multimedia led to better outcomes vs. print in 21 (38%) comparisons vs. 5 (9%) instances for print. Regarding material development, 12 studies (40%) assessed readability and 5 (17%) involved patients in tool development. Multimedia appears to be a promising medium for patient education; however, the majority of studies found that print and multimedia performed equally well in practice. Few studies involved patients in material development, and less than half assessed the readability of materials. Future research should focus on comparing message-equivalent tools and assessing their effect on behavioral outcomes. Material development should include explicit attention to readability and patient input. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Internet printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahgozar, M. Armon; Hastings, Tom; McCue, Daniel L.

    1997-04-01

    The Internet is rapidly changing the traditional means of creation, distribution and retrieval of information. Today, information publishers leverage the capabilities provided by Internet technologies to rapidly communicate information to a much wider audience in unique customized ways. As a result, the volume of published content has been astronomically increasing. This, in addition to the ease of distribution afforded by the Internet has resulted in more and more documents being printed. This paper introduces several axes along which Internet printing may be examined and addresses some of the technological challenges that lay ahead. Some of these axes include: (1) submission--the use of the Internet protocols for selecting printers and submitting documents for print, (2) administration--the management and monitoring of printing engines and other print resources via Web pages, and (3) formats--printing document formats whose spectrum now includes HTML documents with simple text, layout-enhanced documents with Style Sheets, documents that contain audio, graphics and other active objects as well as the existing desktop and PDL formats. The format axis of the Internet Printing becomes even more exciting when one considers that the Web documents are inherently compound and the traversal into the various pieces may uncover various formats. The paper also examines some imaging specific issues that are paramount to Internet Printing. These include formats and structures for representing raster documents and images, compression, fonts rendering and color spaces.

  10. Printed hydrogen sulfide gas sensor on paper substrate based on polyaniline composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarfraz, J.; Ihalainen, P.; Määttänen, A.; Peltonen, J.; Lindén, M.

    2013-01-01

    The fabrication of a hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) sensor based on polyaniline (PANI)-metal salt (CuCl 2 ) composite is demonstrated. The sensing film was produced by screen printing and spray coating of the sensing material on interdigitated silver electrodes inkjet-printed on a paper substrate. The H 2 S sensing functionality with respect to pH and metal salt concentration was optimized. In addition, the long term stability and humidity effects on the sensor performance were investigated. The printed chemiresistors showed more than five orders of magnitude change in resistance within 20 min of exposure of 15 ppm H 2 S at room temperature. The relatively fast kinetics and large response of the sensor can be explained by the formation of Cu 2 S and subsequent protonation of PANI. In addition, the relatively large roughness and porosity of the paper substrate offers an increased surface sensing area. - Highlights: • pH, salt concentration, film thickness, cross sensitivity • Printed sensor on paper substrate • Commercial polyaniline against special morphologies

  11. Digital Inkjet Textile Printing

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Meichun

    2017-01-01

    Digital inkjet textile printing is an emerging technology developed with the rise of the digital world. It offers a possibility to print high-resolution images with unlimited color selection on fabrics. Digital inkjet printing brings a revolutionary chance for the textile printing industry. The history of textile printing shows the law how new technology replaces the traditional way of printing. This indicates the future of digital inkjet textile printing is relatively positive. Differen...

  12. Fabrication of graphene/gold-modified screen-printed electrode for detection of carcinoembryonic antigen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chan, K.F. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, 43400 Selangor (Malaysia); Lim, H.N., E-mail: janetlimhn@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, 43400 Selangor (Malaysia); Shams, N. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, 43400 Selangor (Malaysia); Jayabal, S.; Pandikumar, A.; Huang, N.M. [Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2016-01-01

    Immunosensors based on gold nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (AuNPs/rGO)-modified screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) were successfully synthesized using an electrochemical deposition method. The modified SPEs were characterized using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and Raman spectroscopy to analyze the morphology and composition of AuNPs and rGO. Both the FESEM and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the AuNPs were successfully anchored on the thin film of rGO deposited on the surface of the SPEs. Characterization with a ferri–ferrocyanide couple [Fe(CN){sub 6}{sup 3−/4−}] showed that the electron transfer kinetic between the analyte and electrode was enhanced after the modification with the AuNPs/rGO composite on the electrode surface, in addition to increasing the effective surface area of the electrode. The modified SPE was immobilized with a sandwich type immunosensor to mimic the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) immunoassay. The modified SPE that was fortified with the sandwich type immunosensor exhibited double electrochemical responses in the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), with linear ranges of 0.5–50 ng/mL and 250–2000 ng/mL and limits of detection of 0.28 ng/mL and 181.5 ng/mL, respectively. - Highlights: • An AuNP/rGO-modified SPE is prepared via an in-situ electrodeposition method. • It is introduced in a sandwich-type immunoassay for the detection of CEA. • The LODs for CEA are 0.28 ng/mL for 0.5–25 ng/mL, and 181.5 ng/mL for 250–2000 ng/mL.

  13. Humidity Sensors Printed on Recycled Paper and Cardboard

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matija Mraović

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Research, design, fabrication and results of various screen printed capacitive humidity sensors is presented in this paper. Two types of capacitive humidity sensors have been designed and fabricated via screen printing on recycled paper and cardboard, obtained from the regional paper and cardboard industry. As printing ink, commercially available silver nanoparticle-based conductive ink was used. A considerable amount of work has been devoted to the humidity measurement methods using paper as a dielectric material. Performances of different structures have been tested in a humidity chamber. Relative humidity in the chamber was varied in the range of 35%–80% relative humidity (RH at a constant temperature of 23 °C. Parameters of interest were capacitance and conductance of each sensor material, as well as long term behaviour. Process reversibility has also been considered. The results obtained show a mainly logarithmic response of the paper sensors, with the only exception being cardboard-based sensors. Recycled paper-based sensors exhibit a change in value of three orders of magnitude, whereas cardboard-based sensors have a change in value of few 10s over the entire scope of relative humidity range (RH 35%–90%. Two different types of capacitor sensors have been investigated: lateral (comb type sensors and modified, perforated flat plate type sensors. The objective of the present work was to identify the most important factors affecting the material performances with humidity, and to contribute to the development of a sensor system supported with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID chip directly on the material, for use in smart packaging applications. Therefore, the authors built a passive and a battery-supported wireless module based on SL900A smart sensory tag’s IC to achieve UHF-RFID functionality with data logging capability.

  14. A novel and simple method of printing flexible conductive circuits on PET fabrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zehong; Wang, Wei; Jiang, Zhikang; Yu, Dan

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A simple preparation of nano-silver conductive ink was proposed. • Conductive pattern was printed on PET fabrics without heat sintering. • The surface resistivity of printed pattern is low to 0.197 Ω cm. - Abstract: Flexible conductive circuits on PET fabrics were fabricated by a simple approach. Firstly, well dispersed nano-silver colloids with average size of 87 nm were synthesized with poly (vinyl pyrrolidone). Then, by adding polyurethane and thickening agent into these colloids, Ag NP-based ink was produced and printed on PET fabrics by screen printing. Conductive patterns were achieved through the swelling process of polyurethane and the decrease of contact resistance between nano-silver particles when immersed in dichloromethane (DCM) and diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DMDAAC) mixed solution. After it was dried at 40 °C,the surface resistivity was about 0.197 Ω cm with width 1.9 mm, and thickness 20 μm. Moreover, the effects of different DCM contents on the conductivity and the film forming ability have been investigated. We believe these foundings will provide some important analysis for printing flexible conductive circuits on textiles.

  15. A novel and simple method of printing flexible conductive circuits on PET fabrics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Zehong; Wang, Wei [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education (China); Jiang, Zhikang [Saintyear Holding Group Co., Ltd. (China); Yu, Dan, E-mail: vchtian@163.com [College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Key Laboratory of Textile Science & Technology, Ministry of Education (China); Saintyear Holding Group Co., Ltd. (China)

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • A simple preparation of nano-silver conductive ink was proposed. • Conductive pattern was printed on PET fabrics without heat sintering. • The surface resistivity of printed pattern is low to 0.197 Ω cm. - Abstract: Flexible conductive circuits on PET fabrics were fabricated by a simple approach. Firstly, well dispersed nano-silver colloids with average size of 87 nm were synthesized with poly (vinyl pyrrolidone). Then, by adding polyurethane and thickening agent into these colloids, Ag NP-based ink was produced and printed on PET fabrics by screen printing. Conductive patterns were achieved through the swelling process of polyurethane and the decrease of contact resistance between nano-silver particles when immersed in dichloromethane (DCM) and diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DMDAAC) mixed solution. After it was dried at 40 °C,the surface resistivity was about 0.197 Ω cm with width 1.9 mm, and thickness 20 μm. Moreover, the effects of different DCM contents on the conductivity and the film forming ability have been investigated. We believe these foundings will provide some important analysis for printing flexible conductive circuits on textiles.

  16. 3D printing PLGA: a quantitative examination of the effects of polymer composition and printing parameters on print resolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Ting; Holzberg, Timothy R; Lim, Casey G; Gao, Feng; Gargava, Ankit; Trachtenberg, Jordan E; Mikos, Antonios G; Fisher, John P

    2017-04-12

    In the past few decades, 3D printing has played a significant role in fabricating scaffolds with consistent, complex structure that meet patient-specific needs in future clinical applications. Although many studies have contributed to this emerging field of additive manufacturing, which includes material development and computer-aided scaffold design, current quantitative analyses do not correlate material properties, printing parameters, and printing outcomes to a great extent. A model that correlates these properties has tremendous potential to standardize 3D printing for tissue engineering and biomaterial science. In this study, we printed poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) utilizing a direct melt extrusion technique without additional ingredients. We investigated PLGA with various lactic acid:glycolic acid (LA:GA) molecular weight ratios and end caps to demonstrate the dependence of the extrusion process on the polymer composition. Micro-computed tomography was then used to evaluate printed scaffolds containing different LA:GA ratios, composed of different fiber patterns, and processed under different printing conditions. We built a statistical model to reveal the correlation and predominant factors that determine printing precision. Our model showed a strong linear relationship between the actual and predicted precision under different combinations of printing conditions and material compositions. This quantitative examination establishes a significant foreground to 3D print biomaterials following a systematic fabrication procedure. Additionally, our proposed statistical models can be applied to couple specific biomaterials and 3D printing applications for patient implants with particular requirements.

  17. 3D printing PLGA: a quantitative examination of the effects of polymer composition and printing parameters on print resolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Ting; Holzberg, Timothy R; Lim, Casey G; Gao, Feng; Gargava, Ankit; Trachtenberg, Jordan E; Mikos, Antonios G; Fisher, John P

    2018-01-01

    In the past few decades, 3D printing has played a significant role in fabricating scaffolds with consistent, complex structure that meet patient-specific needs in future clinical applications. Although many studies have contributed to this emerging field of additive manufacturing, which includes material development and computer-aided scaffold design, current quantitative analyses do not correlate material properties, printing parameters, and printing outcomes to a great extent. A model that correlates these properties has tremendous potential to standardize 3D printing for tissue engineering and biomaterial science. In this study, we printed poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) utilizing a direct melt extrusion technique without additional ingredients. We investigated PLGA with various lactic acid: glycolic acid (LA:GA) molecular weight ratios and end caps to demonstrate the dependence of the extrusion process on the polymer composition. Micro-computed tomography was then used to evaluate printed scaffolds containing different LA:GA ratios, composed of different fiber patterns, and processed under different printing conditions. We built a statistical model to reveal the correlation and predominant factors that determine printing precision. Our model showed a strong linear relationship between the actual and predicted precision under different combinations of printing conditions and material compositions. This quantitative examination establishes a significant foreground to 3D print biomaterials following a systematic fabrication procedure. Additionally, our proposed statistical models can be applied to couple specific biomaterials and 3D printing applications for patient implants with particular requirements. PMID:28244880

  18. From tissue to silicon to plastic: 3D printing in comparative anatomy and physiology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauridsen, Henrik; Hansen, Kasper; Nørgård, Mathias Ørum

    2016-01-01

    modelling has entered the scene. However, comprehending complex anatomical structures is hampered by reproduction on flat inherently two-dimensional screens. One way to circumvent this problem is in the production of 3D printed scale models. We have applied computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging...... to produce digital models of animal anatomy well suited to be printed on low cost 3D printers. In this communication we report how to apply such technology in comparative anatomy and physiology to aid discovery, description, comprehension and communication, and we seek to inspire fellow researchers...

  19. 3D Printing in Liver Surgery: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witowski, Jan Sylwester; Coles-Black, Jasamine; Zuzak, Tomasz Zbigniew; Pędziwiatr, Michał; Chuen, Jason; Major, Piotr; Budzyński, Andrzej

    2017-12-01

    Rapid growth of three-dimensional (3D) printing in recent years has led to new applications of this technology across all medical fields. This review article presents a broad range of examples on how 3D printing is facilitating liver surgery, including models for preoperative planning, education, and simulation. We have performed an extensive search of the medical databases Ovid/MEDLINE and PubMed/EMBASE and screened articles fitting the scope of review, following previously established exclusion criteria. Articles deemed suitable were analyzed and data on the 3D-printed models-including both technical properties and desirable application-and their impact on clinical proceedings were extracted. Fourteen articles, presenting unique utilizations of 3D models, were found suitable for data analysis. A great majority of articles (93%) discussed models used for preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance. PolyJet was the most common (43%) and, at the same time, most expensive 3D printing technology used in the development process. Many authors of reviewed articles reported that models were accurate (71%) and allowed them to understand patient's complex anatomy and its spatial relationships. Although the technology is still in its early stages, presented models are considered useful in preoperative planning and patient and student education. There are multiple factors limiting the use of 3D printing in everyday healthcare, the most important being high costs and the time-consuming process of development. Promising early results need to be verified in larger randomized trials, which will provide more statistically significant results.

  20. Stable proton-conducting Ca-doped LaNbO{sub 4} thin electrolyte-based protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells by in situ screen printing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin Bin [USTC Laboratory for Solid State Chemistry and Inorganic Membranes, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui (China)], E-mail: bin@mail.ustc.edu.cn; Wang Songlin; Liu Xingqin [USTC Laboratory for Solid State Chemistry and Inorganic Membranes, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui (China); Meng Guangyao [USTC Laboratory for Solid State Chemistry and Inorganic Membranes, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, 230026, Anhui (China)], E-mail: mgym@ustc.edu.cn

    2009-06-10

    In order to develop a simple and cost-effective route to fabricate protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells (PCMFCs), a stable proton-conducting La{sub 0.99}Ca{sub 0.01}NbO{sub 4} (LCN) thin electrolyte was fabricated on a porous NiO-La{sub 0.5}Ce{sub 0.5}O{sub 1.75} (NiO-LDC) anode by in situ screen printing. The key part of this process is to directly print well-mixed ink of La{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CaCO{sub 3} and Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} instead of pre-synthesized LCN ceramic powder on the anode substrate. After sintering at 1400 deg. C for 5 h, the full dense electrolyte membrane in the thickness of 20 {mu}m was obtained. A single cell was assembled with (La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}){sub 0.9}MnO{sub 3-{delta}}-La{sub 0.5}Ce{sub 0.5}O{sub 1.75} (LSM-LDC) as cathode and tested with humidified hydrogen as fuel and static air as oxidant. The open circuit voltage (OCV) and maximum power density respectively reached 0.98 V and 65 mW cm{sup -2} at 800 deg. C. Interface resistance of cell under open circuit condition was also investigated.

  1. The fabrication of front electrodes of Si solar cell by dispensing printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Do-Hyung; Ryu, Sung-Soo; Shin, Dongwook; Shin, Jung-Han; Jeong, Jwa-Jin; Kim, Hyeong-Jun; Chang, Hyo Sik

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We propose the process for the front silver electrode by employing dispensing method. ► The dispensing method is a non-contact printing process. ► The electrode by dispensing method has more uniform and narrower shape. ► The dispensing method helped to enhance the efficiency of solar cell by 0.8% absolute. - Abstract: The dispensing printing was applied to fabricate the front electrodes of silicon solar cell. In this method, a micro channel nozzle and normal Ag paste were employed. The aspect ratio and line width of electrodes could be controlled by the process variables such as the inner diameter of nozzle, dispensing speed, discharge pressure, and the gap between wafer and nozzle. For the nozzle with the inner diameter of 50 μm, the line width and aspect ratio of electrode were under 90 μm and more than ∼0.2, respectively. When comparing the efficiency of solar cell prepared by conventional screen printing and the dispensing printing, the latter exhibited 19.1%, which is 0.8% absolute higher than the former even with the same Ag paste. This is because the electrode by dispensing printing has uniform aspect ratio and narrow line width over the length of electrode.

  2. Water-resistive humidity sensor prepared by printing process using polyelectrolyte ink derived from new monomer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min-Ji; Gong, Myoung-Seon

    2012-03-21

    A simple strategy was developed based on a new monomer containing both photocurable function and ammonium salt, N-(2-cinnamoyloxy)ethyl-N-(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)-N,N-dimethyl ammonium bromide (CMDAB) to obtain photocurable polyelectrolyte ink and stable humidity-sensitive membranes by printing process. Humidity-sensitive membranes are photocrosslinked polyelectrolytes obtained from copolymers of [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] dimethyl propyl ammonium bromide (MEPAB), CMDAB and MMA. A flexible gold electrode/polyimide was pretreated with 2-(mercaptoethyl) cinnamamide (MEC) containing a thiol-coupling agent for the purpose of anchoring the humidity-sensitive polyelectrolyte to the gold electrode. The sensors using screen printing methods reduced the deflection of sensor characteristics showing humidity precision ±1%RH. The photocured copolymer MEPAB/CMDAB/MMA = 63/7/30 show good sensitivity (0.0586 logΩ/%RH) changing resistance approximately four orders of magnitude with relative humidity varying from 20% to 95% and fast response and recovery time. The resultant sensors showed acceptable linearity (Y = -0.04X + 7.0, R(2) = -0.9900) and small hysteresis. The reliability including water resistance and a long-term stability were estimated for the application of the flexible humidity sensor prepared by screen printing process.

  3. A screen-printed Ce 0.8Sm 0.2O 1.9 film solid oxide fuel cell with a Ba 0.5Sr 0.5Co 0.8Fe 0.2O 3- δ cathode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yaohui; Huang, Xiqiang; Lu, Zhe; Liu, Zhiguo; Ge, Xiaodong; Xu, Jiahuan; Xin, Xianshuang; Sha, Xueqing; Su, Wenhui

    Screen-printing technology was developed to fabricate Ce 0.8Sm 0.2O 1.9 (SDC) electrolyte films onto porous NiO-SDC green anode substrates. After sintering at 1400 °C for 4 h, a gas-tight SDC film with a thickness of 12 μm was obtained. A novel cathode material of Ba 0.5Sr 0.5Co 0.8Fe 0.2O 3- δ was subsequently applied onto the sintered SDC electrolyte film also by screen-printing and sintered at 970 °C for 3 h to get a single cell. A fuel cell of Ni-SDC/SDC (12 μm)/Ba 0.5Sr 0.5Co 0.8Fe 0.2O 3- δ provides the maximum power densities of 1280, 1080, 670, 370, 180 and 73 mW cm -2 at 650, 600, 555, 505, 455 and 405 °C, respectively, using hydrogen as fuel and stationary air as oxidant. When dry methane was used as fuel, the maximum power densities are 876, 568, 346 and 114 mW cm -2 at 650, 600, 555 and 505 °C, respectively. The present fuel cell shows excellent performance at lowered temperatures.

  4. Printed batteries and conductive patterns in technical textiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willert, Andreas; Meuser, Carmen; Baumann, Reinhard R.

    2018-05-01

    Various applications of functional devices need a tailored and reliable supply of electrical energy. Batteries are electrochemical systems that deliver energy for functional devices and applications. Due to the common use, several rigid types of batteries have been standardized. To fully integrate the battery into a product that is bendable, free in geometry and less than 1 mm thick, printing of power adaptable batteries is a challenging area of research. Therefore, the well-known zinc-manganese system, which is very promising due to its environmental sustainability and its simplicity, has been used to manufacture battery solutions on a new kind of substrate: technical textiles. Another challenge is the deposition of conductive patterns. At present, embroidery with metallic yarn is the only possibility to provide conducting paths on technical textiles, a time-consuming and elaborate process. Screen printed conductive pathways will generate a new momentum in the manufacturing of conductivity on textiles.

  5. A WiFi Tracking Device Printed Directly on Textile for Wearable Electronics Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Krykpayev, Bauyrzhan

    2015-12-01

    reported which utilize an interface layer [1{13]. No sophisticated circuit or a system level design involving integration of components on textile has been demonstrated in this medium before. This work, for the first time, demonstrates a complete system printed on a polyester/cotton T-shirt, that helps in tracking the person who is wearing that T-shirt through a smart phone or any Internet enabled device. A low cost dielectric material (Creative Materials 116-20 Dielectric ink) is used to print the interface layer through manual screen printing method. The circuit layout and antenna have been ink-jet printed with silver nano-particles based conductive ink. Utilizing WiFi technology, this wearable tracking system can locate the position of lost children, senior citizens, patients or people in uniforms, lab coats, hospital gowns, etc. The device is small enough (55 mm x 45 mm) and light weight (10.5g w/o battery) for people to comfortably wear it and can be easily concealed in case discretion is required. Field tests have revealed that a person can be localized with up to 8 meters accuracy and the device can wirelessly communicate with a hand-held receiver placed 55 meters away. Future development of the method with techniques such as automated screen printing, pick and place components, and digital ink-jet printing can pave the way for mass production.

  6. Fast optoelectric printing of plasmonic nanoparticles into tailored circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigo, José A.

    2017-04-01

    Plasmonic nanoparticles are able to control light at nanometre-scale by coupling electromagnetic fields to the oscillations of free electrons in metals. Deposition of such nanoparticles onto substrates with tailored patterns is essential, for example, in fabricating plasmonic structures for enhanced sensing. This work presents an innovative micro-patterning technique, based on optoelectic printing, for fast and straightforward fabrication of curve-shaped circuits of plasmonic nanoparticles deposited onto a transparent electrode often used in optoelectronics, liquid crystal displays, touch screens, etc. We experimentally demonstrate that this kind of plasmonic structure, printed by using silver nanoparticles of 40 nm, works as a plasmonic enhanced optical device allowing for polarized-color-tunable light scattering in the visible. These findings have potential applications in biosensing and fabrication of future optoelectronic devices combining the benefits of plasmonic sensing and the functionality of transparent electrodes.

  7. Processing parameters for ZnO-based thick film varistors obtained by screen printing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    de la Rubia, M. A.

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Thick film varistors based on the ZnO-Bi2O3-Sb2O3 system have been prepared by screen printing on dense alumina substrates. Different processing parameters like the paste viscosity, burn out and sintering cycles, green and sintered thickness, have been studied to improve the processing of ZnO-based thick film varistors. Starting powders were pre-treated in two different ways in order to control both the Bi-rich liquid phase formation and the excessive volatilization of Bi2O3 during sintering due to the high area/volume ratio of the thick films. Significant changes have been observed in the electrical properties related to the different firing schedule and selection of the starting powders.

    Se han preparado varistores basados en el sistema ZnO-Bi2O3-Sb2O3 en forma de lámina gruesa sobre sustratos de alúmina densa. Diferentes parámetros del procesamiento como la viscosidad de la pasta, los ciclos de calcinación y sinterización y el espesor en verde y sinterizado han sido estudiados para mejorar el procesamiento de los varistores basados en ZnO preparados en forma de lámina gruesa. Los polvos de partida fueron pretratados de dos formas diferentes con el objetivo de controlar la formación de la fase líquida rica en bismuto y la excesiva volatilización de Bi2O3 durante la sinterización debida a la alta relación área-volumen de las láminas gruesas. Se han observado cambios significativos en las propiedades eléctricas relacionadas con los diferentes ciclos de calcinado y con la selección de los polvos de partida.

  8. Printing Insecurity? The Security Implications of 3D-Printing of Weapons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walther, Gerald

    2015-12-01

    In 2013, the first gun printed out of plastic by a 3D-printer was successfully fired in the U.S. This event caused a major media hype about the dangers of being able to print a gun. Law enforcement agencies worldwide were concerned about this development and the potentially huge security implications of these functional plastic guns. As a result, politicians called for a ban of these weapons and a control of 3D-printing technology. This paper reviews the security implications of 3D-printing technology and 3D guns. It argues that current arms control and transfer policies are adequate to cover 3D-printed guns as well. However, while this analysis may hold up currently, progress in printing technology needs to be monitored to deal with future dangers pre-emptively.

  9. A New Sensor Based on Graphite Screen Printed Electrode Modified With Cu-Nanocomplex for Determination of Paracetamol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadi Beitollai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Paracetamol is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used as an antipyretic agent for the alternative to aspirin. Conversely, the overdoses of paracetamol can cause hepatic toxicity and kidney damage. Hence, the determination of paracetamol receives much more attention in biological samples and also in pharmaceutical formulations. Here, we report a rapid and sensitive detection of the paracetamol based on screen-printed modified electrode (SPE with Cu nanocomplex (Cu in pH=7.0. The paracetamol is not stable in strong acidic and strong alkaline media, and is hydrolyzed and hydroxylated. However, it is stable in intermediate pHs due to the dimerization of paracetamol. The kinetics of the paracetamol oxidation was briefly studied and documented in the schemes. In addition, the characterization of Cu nanocomplex was probed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX. Moreover, the voltammetry determined the paracetamol with the linear concentration ranging from 10.0 to 1000.0 μM and the lower detection limit of 1.0 μM. This method was also successfully used to detect the concentration of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations and urine samples.

  10. Palladium nanoparticles decorated on activated fullerene modified screen printed carbon electrode for enhanced electrochemical sensing of dopamine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palanisamy, Selvakumar; Thirumalraj, Balamurugan; Chen, Shen-Ming; Ali, M Ajmal; Al-Hemaid, Fahad M A

    2015-06-15

    In the present work, an enhanced electrochemical sensor for dopamine (DA) was developed based on palladium nanoparticles decorated activated fullerene-C60 (AC60/PdNPs) composite modified screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis confirmed the formation of PdNPs on AC60. The fabricated AC60/PdNPs composite modified electrode exhibited an enhanced electrochemical response to DA with a lower oxidation potential than that of SPCE modified with PdNPs and C60, indicating the excellent electrooxidation behavior of the AC60/PdNPs composite modified electrode. The electrochemical studies confirmed that the electrooxidation of DA at the composite electrode is a diffusion controlled electrochemical process. The differential pulse voltammetry was employed for the determination of DA; under optimum conditions, the electrochemical oxidation signal of DA increased linearly at the AC60/PdNPs composite from 0.35 to 133.35 μM. The limit of detection was found as 0.056 μM with a sensitivity of 4.23 μA μM(-1) cm(-2). The good recovery of DA in the DA injection samples further revealed the good practicality of AC60/PdNPs modified electrode. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Eye movement analysis of reading from computer displays, eReaders and printed books.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zambarbieri, Daniela; Carniglia, Elena

    2012-09-01

    To compare eye movements during silent reading of three eBooks and a printed book. The three different eReading tools were a desktop PC, iPad tablet and Kindle eReader. Video-oculographic technology was used for recording eye movements. In the case of reading from the computer display the recordings were made by a video camera placed below the computer screen, whereas for reading from the iPad tablet, eReader and printed book the recording system was worn by the subject and had two cameras: one for recording the movement of the eyes and the other for recording the scene in front of the subject. Data analysis provided quantitative information in terms of number of fixations, their duration, and the direction of the movement, the latter to distinguish between fixations and regressions. Mean fixation duration was different only in reading from the computer display, and was similar for the Tablet, eReader and printed book. The percentage of regressions with respect to the total amount of fixations was comparable for eReading tools and the printed book. The analysis of eye movements during reading an eBook from different eReading tools suggests that subjects' reading behaviour is similar to reading from a printed book. © 2012 The College of Optometrists.

  12. Design for low-cost gas metal arc weld-based aluminum 3-D printing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haselhuhn, Amberlee S.

    Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3-D printing, has the potential to change the state of manufacturing across the globe. Parts are made, or printed, layer by layer using only the materials required to form the part, resulting in much less waste than traditional manufacturing methods. Additive manufacturing has been implemented in a wide variety of industries including aerospace, medical, consumer products, and fashion, using metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and even organic tissues. However, traditional 3-D printing technologies, particularly those used to print metals, can be prohibitively expensive for small enterprises and the average consumer. A low-cost open-source metal 3-D printer has been developed based upon gas metal arc weld (GMAW) technology. Using this technology, substrate release mechanisms have been developed, allowing the user to remove a printed metal part from a metal substrate by hand. The mechanical and microstructural properties of commercially available weld alloys were characterized and used to guide alloy development in 4000 series aluminum-silicon alloys. Wedge casting experiments were performed to screen magnesium, strontium, and titanium boride alloying additions in hypoeutectic aluminum-silicon alloys for their properties and the ease with which they could be printed. Finally, the top performing alloys, which were approximately 11.6% Si modified with strontium and titanium boride were cast, extruded, and drawn into wire. These wires were printed and the mechanical and microstructural properties were compared with those of commercially available alloys. This work resulted in an easier-to-print aluminum-silicon-strontium alloy that exhibited lower porosity, equivalent yield and tensile strengths, yet nearly twice the ductility compared to commercial alloys.

  13. Streamlined, Inexpensive 3D Printing of the Brain and Skull

    OpenAIRE

    Naftulin, Jason S.; Kimchi, Eyal Y.; Cash, Sydney S.

    2015-01-01

    Neuroimaging technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) collect three-dimensional data (3D) that is typically viewed on two-dimensional (2D) screens. Actual 3D models, however, allow interaction with real objects such as implantable electrode grids, potentially improving patient specific neurosurgical planning and personalized clinical education. Desktop 3D printers can now produce relatively inexpensive, good quality prints. We describe our process for...

  14. Analysis of Printing Substrate, Ink Age and Number of IR Drying Influence on Electrical Resistance of Conductive Inks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josip Jerić

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available As a result of availability of new technologies, functional printing as a segment has become one of the most interesting directions of research and development in graphic technology. Conductive inks are not a novelty and they already have broad possibilities in production of everyday products. There is still a big market for the broadening of their use, as well as a possibility of further enhancing their properties. This paper analyzes the influence of printing substrate, age of ink and the number of IR drying on the electrical resistance of the conductive inks. In the paper, subject of analysis was the change of electrical resistance in the line that was 9 cm long and 10 typographic points wide. The semi-automated screen-printing machine was used for printing. Three types of printing substrates were used; uncoated, coated and recycled paper. Two types of inks were used; newly opened ink and ink that was out of date for half year. After the printing, prints were dried using the IR dryer. Prints were dried once, and then additional three times. After the first and last drying, multimeter was used to measure electrical resistance of the lines. Analysis of the data shows that the older ink produces prints with higher electrical resistance. There are also notable differences in the electrical resistance based on the printing substrate.

  15. Highly Sensitive Aluminium(III) Ion Sensor Based on a Self-assembled Monolayer on a Gold Nanoparticles Modified Screen-printed Carbon Electrode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    See, Wong Pooi; Heng, Lee Yook; Nathan, Sheila

    2015-01-01

    A new approach for the development of a highly sensitive aluminium(III) ion sensor via the preconcentration of aluminium(III) ion with a self-assembled monolayer on a gold nanoparticles modified screen-printed carbon electrode and current mediation by potassium ferricyanide redox behavior during aluminium(III) ion binding has been attempted. A monolayer of mercaptosuccinic acid served as an effective complexation ligand for the preconcentration of trace aluminium; this led to an enhancement of aluminium(III) ion capture and thus improved the sensitivity of the sensor with a detection limit of down to the ppb level. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the sensor exhibited a wide linear dynamic range from 0.041 to 12.4 μM. The lower detection limit of the developed sensor was 0.037 μM (8.90 ppb) using a 10 min preconcentration time. The sensor showed excellent selectivity towards aluminium(III) ion over other interference ions.

  16. 3D Printing in the Laboratory: Maximize Time and Funds with Customized and Open-Source Labware.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coakley, Meghan; Hurt, Darrell E

    2016-08-01

    3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is the computer-guided process of fabricating physical objects by depositing successive layers of material. It has transformed manufacturing across virtually every industry, bringing about incredible advances in research and medicine. The rapidly growing consumer market now includes convenient and affordable "desktop" 3D printers. These are being used in the laboratory to create custom 3D-printed equipment, and a growing community of designers are contributing open-source, cost-effective innovations that can be used by both professionals and enthusiasts. User stories from investigators at the National Institutes of Health and the biomedical research community demonstrate the power of 3D printing to save valuable time and funding. While adoption of 3D printing has been slow in the biosciences to date, the potential is vast. The market predicts that within several years, 3D printers could be commonplace within the home; with so many practical uses for 3D printing, we anticipate that the technology will also play an increasingly important role in the laboratory. © 2016 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  17. Smartphone-based cyclic voltammetry system with graphene modified screen printed electrodes for glucose detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Daizong; Liu, Lei; Li, Shuang; Chen, Chen; Lu, Yanli; Wu, Jiajia; Liu, Qingjun

    2017-12-15

    Smartphone-based electrochemical devices have such advantages as the low price, miniaturization, and obtaining the real-time data. As a popular electrochemical method, cyclic voltammetry (CV) has shown its great practicability for quantitative detection and electrodes modification. In this study, a smartphone-based CV system with a simple method of electrode modification was constructed to perform electrochemical detections. The system was composed of these main portions: modified electrodes, portable electrochemical detector and smartphone. Among them, the detector was comprised of an energy transformation module applying the stimuli signals, and a low-cost potentiostat module for CV measurements with a Bluetooth module for transmitting data and commands. With an Application (App), the smartphone was used as the controller and displayer of the system. Through controlling of different scan rates, the smartphone-based system could perform CV detections for redox couples with test errors less than 3.8% compared to that of commercial electrochemical workstation. Also, the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and sensitive substance could be modified by the system on the screen printed electrodes for detections. As a demonstration, 3-amino phenylboronic acid (APBA) was used as the sensitive substance to fabricate a glucose sensor. Finally, the experimental data of the system were shown the linear, sensitive, and specific responses to glucose at different doses, even in blood serum as low as about 0.026mM with 3δ/slope calculation. Thus, the system could show great potentials of detection and modification of electrodes in various fields, such as public health, water monitoring, and food quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Correlative microscopy including CLSM and SEM to improve high-speed, high-resolution laser-engraved print and embossing forms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohrer, Markus; Schweitzer, Michael; Nirnberger, Robert; Weinberger, Bernhard

    2015-10-01

    The industrial market for processing large-scale films has seen dramatic changes since the 1980s and has almost completely been replaced by lasers and digital processes. A commonly used technology for engraving screens, print and embossing forms in the printing industry, well known since then, is the use of RF-excited CO2 lasers with a beam power up to about 1 kW, modulated in accordance to the pattern to be engraved. Future needs for high-security printing (banknotes, security papers, passports, etc.) will require laser engraving of at least half a million or even more structured elements with a depth from some μm up to 500 μm. Industry now wants photorealistic pictures in packaging design, which requires a similar performance. To ensure 'trusted pulses' from the digital process to the print result the use of correlative microscopy (CLSM and SEM) is demonstrated as a complete chain for a correlative print process in this paper.

  19. Reproducing 2D breast mammography images with 3D printed phantoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Matthew; Ghammraoui, Bahaa; Badal, Andreu

    2016-03-01

    Mammography is currently the standard imaging modality used to screen women for breast abnormalities and, as a result, it is a tool of great importance for the early detection of breast cancer. Physical phantoms are commonly used as surrogates of breast tissue to evaluate some aspects of the performance of mammography systems. However, most phantoms do not reproduce the anatomic heterogeneity of real breasts. New fabrication technologies, such as 3D printing, have created the opportunity to build more complex, anatomically realistic breast phantoms that could potentially assist in the evaluation of mammography systems. The primary objective of this work is to present a simple, easily reproducible methodology to design and print 3D objects that replicate the attenuation profile observed in real 2D mammograms. The secondary objective is to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of the competing 3D printing technologies, and characterize the x-ray properties of the different materials they use. Printable phantoms can be created using the open-source code introduced in this work, which processes a raw mammography image to estimate the amount of x-ray attenuation at each pixel, and outputs a triangle mesh object that encodes the observed attenuation map. The conversion from the observed pixel gray value to a column of printed material with equivalent attenuation requires certain assumptions and knowledge of multiple imaging system parameters, such as x-ray energy spectrum, source-to-object distance, compressed breast thickness, and average breast material attenuation. A detailed description of the new software, a characterization of the printed materials using x-ray spectroscopy, and an evaluation of the realism of the sample printed phantoms are presented.

  20. Printing Smart Designs of Light Emitting Devices with Maintained Textile Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inge Verboven

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available To maintain typical textile properties, smart designs of light emitting devices are printed directly onto textile substrates. A first approach shows improved designs for alternating current powder electroluminescence (ACPEL devices. A configuration with the following build-up, starting from the textile substrate, was applied using the screen printing technique: silver (10 µm/barium titanate (10 µm/zinc-oxide (10 µm and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophenepoly(styrenesulfonate (10 µm. Textile properties such as flexibility, drapability and air permeability are preserved by implementing a pixel-like design of the printed layers. Another route is the application of organic light emitting devices (OLEDs fabricated out of following layers, also starting from the textile substrate: polyurethane or acrylate (10–20 µm as smoothing layer/silver (200 nm/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophenepoly(styrenesulfonate (35 nm/super yellow (80 nm/calcium/aluminum (12/17 nm. Their very thin nm-range layer thickness, preserving the flexibility and drapability of the substrate, and their low working voltage, makes these devices the possible future in light-emitting wearables.

  1. Print Finishing: From Manual to Automated Print Finishing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gareth Ward

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Meeting the demand for faster turnrounds and shorter print runs goes beyond making the printing press easier to set up and change. There is little point in producing plates and then sheets from a press if the post press area does not change to keep abreast of developments in prepress and the print room. The greatest impact is going to come from JDF, the end to end production data format which is finding wide spread acceptance in print areas. To date finishing equipment manufacturers are not as well represented within the CIP4 organisation as prepress and press vendors, but the major manufacturers are members. All are working to the goal of complete connectivity.The idea of JDF is that if the format of a print product like a magazine is known during the creation phases, the information can be used to preset machinery that is going to be used to produce it, so avoiding input errors and saving manufacturing time.A second aspect to JDF is that information about performance and progress is gathered and can be retrieved from a central point or made available to a customer. Production scheduling and costing becomes more accurate and customer relationships are deepened. However JDF to its fullest extent is not yet in use in connecting the finishing area to the rest of the printing plant. Around the world different companies are testing the idea of JDF to connect saddle stitchers, guillotines and binders with frantic work underway to be able to show results soon.

  2. A high speed electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing method for line printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phung, Thanh Huy; Kim, Seora; Kwon, Kye-Si

    2017-01-01

    Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing has drawn attention due to its capability to produce smaller dots and patterns with finer lines when compared to those obtained from using conventional inkjet printing. Previous studies have suggested that drop-on-demand EHD-patterning applications should be limited to very slow printing cases with speeds far less than 10 mm s −1 due to the small dot size and limited jetting frequency. In this study, a new EHD printing method is proposed to significantly increase the line-patterning printing speed by modifying the ink and thereby changing the relic shape. The proposed method has the additional advantage of reducing the line-pattern width. The results of the experiment show that the pattern width could be reduced from 20 µ m to 4 µ m by increasing the printing speed from 10 mm s −1 to 50 mm s −1 , respectively. (paper)

  3. A voltammetric method for Fe(iii) in blood serum using a screen-printed electrode modified with a Schiff base ionophore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittal, Susheel K; Rana, Sonia; Kaur, Navneet; Banks, Craig E

    2018-05-23

    Herein, a potent electrochemical ionophore (SMS-2) based on a Schiff base has been used for the modification of a screen-printed electrode (SPE). The modified disposable electrode can selectively detect ferric ions in an aqueous medium. Redox behavior of the proposed strip was characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Incorporation of the ligand in the ink of the SPE enhanced the analytical performance of the electrode, and its surface modification was confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis. Shifting/quenching of the cathodic peak potential of the ionophore after binding with Fe(iii) ions was used to detect and measure the ferric ion concentration. This sensor can identify Fe(iii) in the detection range from 0.625 μM to 7.5 μM. The modified SPE can selectively detect ferric ions in the presence of many other interfering ions and has been successfully used to determine the Fe(iii) content in blood serum samples. The metal-ionophore complex structure was optimized using DFT calculations to study the energetics of the metal-ionophore interactions.

  4. Direct detection of ammonium ion by means of oxygen electrocatalysis at a copper-polyaniline composite on a screen-printed electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhybak, Mykhailo T.; Vagin, Mikhail Yu.; Beni, Valerio; Liu, Xianjie; Turner, Anthony P. F.; Dempsey, Eithne; Korpan, Yaroslav I.

    2016-01-01

    We describe a composite material for use in electrochemical oxygen reduction. A screen-printed electrode (SPE) was consecutively modified with electrodeposited copper, a Nafion membrane and electropolymerized polyaniline (PANi) to give an electrocatalytic composite of type PANi/Nafion/Cu_2O/SPE that displays good electrical conductivity at neutral pH values. It is found that the presence of ammonia causes complex formation with Cu(I), and this causes electroreduction of oxygen to result in an increased cathodic current. The finding was applied to the quantification of ammonium ions in the 1 to 1000 μM concentration range by amperometry at −0.45 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). This Faradaic phenomenon offers the advantage of direct voltammetric detection, one of the lowest known limits of detection (0.5 μM), and high sensitivity (250 mA∙M"−"1∙cm"−"2). It was applied to the determination of ammonium ion in human serum where it compared well with the photometric routine approach for clinical analysis using glutamate dehydrogenase. (author)

  5. Engraving Print Classification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoelck, Daniel; Barbe, Joaquim

    2008-01-01

    A print is a mark, or drawing, made in or upon a plate, stone, woodblock or other material which is cover with ink and then is press usually into a paper reproducing the image on the paper. Engraving prints usually are image composed of a group of binary lines, specially those are made with relief and intaglio techniques. Varying the number and the orientation of lines, the drawing of the engraving print is conformed. For this reason we propose an application based on image processing methods to classify engraving prints

  6. Printing Insecurity? The Security Implications of 3D-Printing of Weapons

    OpenAIRE

    Walther, Gerald

    2014-01-01

    In 2013, the first gun printed out of plastic by a 3D-printer was successfully fired in the US. This event caused a major media hype about the dangers of being able to print a gun. Law enforcement agencies worldwide were concerned about this development and the potentially huge security implications of these functional plastic guns. As a result, politicians called for a ban of these weapons and a control of 3D-printing technology. This paper reviews the security implications of 3D-printing te...

  7. Clinical efficacy and effectiveness of 3D printing: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diment, Laura E; Thompson, Mark S; Bergmann, Jeroen H M

    2017-12-21

    To evaluate the clinical efficacy and effectiveness of using 3D printing to develop medical devices across all medical fields. Systematic review compliant with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, IEEE Xplore and Google Scholar. A double-blinded review method was used to select all abstracts up to January 2017 that reported on clinical trials of a three-dimensional (3D)-printed medical device. The studies were ranked according to their level of evidence, divided into medical fields based on the International Classification of Diseases chapter divisions and categorised into whether they were used for preoperative planning, aiding surgery or therapy. The Downs and Black Quality Index critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of reporting, external validity, risk of bias, risk of confounding and power of each study. Of the 3084 abstracts screened, 350 studies met the inclusion criteria. Oral and maxillofacial surgery contained 58.3% of studies, and 23.7% covered the musculoskeletal system. Only 21 studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and all fitted within these two fields. The majority of RCTs were 3D-printed anatomical models for preoperative planning and guides for aiding surgery. The main benefits of these devices were decreased surgical operation times and increased surgical accuracy. All medical fields that assessed 3D-printed devices concluded that they were clinically effective. The fields that most rigorously assessed 3D-printed devices were oral and maxillofacial surgery and the musculoskeletal system, both of which concluded that the 3D-printed devices outperformed their conventional comparators. However, the efficacy and effectiveness of 3D-printed devices remain undetermined for the majority of medical fields. 3D-printed devices can play an important role in healthcare, but more rigorous and long-term assessments are needed to determine if 3D-printed devices are

  8. A beginner's guide to 3D printing 14 simple toy designs to get you started

    CERN Document Server

    Rigsby, Mike

    2014-01-01

    A Beginner''s Guide to 3D Printing is the perfect resource for those who would like to experiment with 3D design and manufacturing, but have little or no technical experience with the standard software. Author Mike Rigsby leads readers step-by-step through 15 simple toy projects, each illustrated with screen caps of Autodesk 123D Design, the most common free 3D software available. The projects are later described using Sketchup, another free popular software package. Beginning with basics projects that will take longer to print than design, readers are then given instruction on more advanced t

  9. Printing of small molecular medicines from the vapor phase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalev, Olga; Raghavan, Shreya; Mazzara, J Maxwell; Senabulya, Nancy; Sinko, Patrick D; Fleck, Elyse; Rockwell, Christopher; Simopoulos, Nicholas; Jones, Christina M; Schwendeman, Anna; Mehta, Geeta; Clarke, Roy; Amidon, Gregory E; Shtein, Max

    2017-09-27

    There is growing need to develop efficient methods for early-stage drug discovery, continuous manufacturing of drug delivery vehicles, and ultra-precise dosing of high potency drugs. Here we demonstrate the use of solvent-free organic vapor jet printing to deposit nanostructured films of small molecular pharmaceutical ingredients, including caffeine, paracetamol, ibuprofen, tamoxifen, BAY 11-7082 and fluorescein, with accuracy on the scale of micrograms per square centimeter, onto glass, Tegaderm, Listerine tabs, and stainless steel microneedles. The printed films exhibit similar crystallographic order and chemistry as the original powders; controlled, order-of-magnitude enhancements of dissolution rate are observed relative to powder-form particles. In vitro treatment of breast and ovarian cancer cell cultures in aqueous media by tamoxifen and BAY 11-7082 films shows similar behavior to drugs pre-dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. The demonstrated precise printing of medicines as films, without the use of solvents, can accelerate drug screening and enable continuous manufacturing, while enhancing dosage accuracy.Traditional approaches used in the pharmaceutical industry are not precise or versatile enough for customized medicine formulation and manufacture. Here the authors produce a method to form coatings, with accurate dosages, as well as a means of closely controlling dissolution kinetics.

  10. Adult rat retinal ganglion cells and glia can be printed by piezoelectric inkjet printing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lorber, Barbara; Martin, Keith R; Hsiao, Wen-Kai; Hutchings, Ian M

    2014-01-01

    We have investigated whether inkjet printing technology can be extended to print cells of the adult rat central nervous system (CNS), retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and glia, and the effects on survival and growth of these cells in culture, which is an important step in the development of tissue grafts for regenerative medicine, and may aid in the cure of blindness. We observed that RGC and glia can be successfully printed using a piezoelectric printer. Whilst inkjet printing reduced the cell population due to sedimentation within the printing system, imaging of the printhead nozzle, which is the area where the cells experience the greatest shear stress and rate, confirmed that there was no evidence of destruction or even significant distortion of the cells during jet ejection and drop formation. Importantly, the viability of the cells was not affected by the printing process. When we cultured the same number of printed and non-printed RGC/glial cells, there was no significant difference in cell survival and RGC neurite outgrowth. In addition, use of a glial substrate significantly increased RGC neurite outgrowth, and this effect was retained when the cells had been printed. In conclusion, printing of RGC and glia using a piezoelectric printhead does not adversely affect viability and survival/growth of the cells in culture. Importantly, printed glial cells retain their growth-promoting properties when used as a substrate, opening new avenues for printed CNS grafts in regenerative medicine. (paper)

  11. Reading touch screen storybooks with mothers negatively affects seven-year-old readers’ comprehension but enriches emotional engagement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirsty Mhairi Ross

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Touch screen storybooks turn reading into an interactive multimedia experience, with hotspot-activated animations, sound effects, and games. Positive and negative effects of reading multimedia stories have been reported, but the underlying mechanisms which explain how children’s learning is affected remain uncertain. The present study examined the effect of storybook format (touch screen and print on story comprehension, and considered how level of touch screen interactivity (high and low and shared reading behaviors (cognitive and emotional scaffolding, emotional engagement might contribute to comprehension. Seven-year-olds (n = 22 were observed reading one touch screen storybook and one print storybook with their mothers. Story comprehension was inferior for the touch screen storybooks compared to the print versions. Touch screen interactivity had no significant effect on comprehension but did affect shared reading behaviors. The mother-child dyads spent less time talking about the story in the highly interactive touch screen condition, despite longer shared reading sessions because of touch screen interactions. Positive emotional engagement was greater for children and mothers in the highly interactive touch screen condition, due to additional positive emotions expressed during touch screen interactions. Negative emotional engagement was greater for children when reading and talking about the story in the highly interactive condition, and some mothers demonstrated negative emotional engagement with the touch screen activities. The less interactive touch screen storybook had little effect on shared reading behaviors, but mothers controlling behaviors were more frequent. Storybook format had no effect on the frequency of mothers’ cognitive scaffolding behaviors (comprehension questions, word help. Relationships between comprehension and shared reading behaviors were examined for each storybook, and length of the shared reading session and

  12. Reading Touch Screen Storybooks with Mothers Negatively Affects 7-Year-Old Readers’ Comprehension but Enriches Emotional Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Kirsty M.; Pye, Rachel E.; Randell, Jordan

    2016-01-01

    Touch screen storybooks turn reading into an interactive multimedia experience, with hotspot-activated animations, sound effects, and games. Positive and negative effects of reading multimedia stories have been reported, but the underlying mechanisms which explain how children’s learning is affected remain uncertain. The present study examined the effect of storybook format (touch screen and print) on story comprehension, and considered how level of touch screen interactivity (high and low) and shared reading behaviors (cognitive and emotional scaffolding, emotional engagement) might contribute to comprehension. Seven-year-olds (n = 22) were observed reading one touch screen storybook and one print storybook with their mothers. Story comprehension was inferior for the touch screen storybooks compared to the print formats. Touch screen interactivity level had no significant effect on comprehension but did affect shared reading behaviors. The mother–child dyads spent less time talking about the story in the highly interactive touch screen condition, despite longer shared reading sessions because of touch screen interactions. Positive emotional engagement was greater for children and mothers in the highly interactive touch screen condition, due to additional positive emotions expressed during touch screen interactions. Negative emotional engagement was greater for children when reading and talking about the story in the highly interactive condition, and some mothers demonstrated negative emotional engagement with the touch screen activities. The less interactive touch screen storybook had little effect on shared reading behaviors, but mothers controlling behaviors were more frequent. Storybook format had no effect on the frequency of mothers’ cognitive scaffolding behaviors (comprehension questions, word help). Relationships between comprehension and shared reading behaviors were examined for each storybook, and although length of the shared reading session and

  13. Screen vs. paper : what is the difference for reading and learning?

    OpenAIRE

    Myrberg, Caroline; Wiberg, Ninna

    2015-01-01

    We have all seen the newspaper headlines: screens make us read slower, learn less deeply, remember less and sleep worse. Is this why students prefer to print out their electronic textbooks? We suspected it was habit and attitude rather than measurable cognitive effort during reading that made people prefer print texts, but we needed evidence. We decided to find out what recent research had to say on the subject and read scholarly articles addressing the issues of the actual reading and/or lea...

  14. Highly sensitive voltamperometric determination of pyritinol using carbon nanofiber/gold nanoparticle composite screen-printed carbon electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Apetrei IM

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Irina Mirela Apetrei,1 Constantin Apetrei2 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical and Pharmaceutical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2Department of Chemistry, Physics and Environment, Faculty of Sciences and Environment, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Galati, Romania Abstract: A novel and highly sensitive electrochemical method for the detection of pyritinol in pharmaceutical products and serum samples has been accomplished based on voltamperometric response of pyritinol in carbon nanofiber-gold nanoparticle (CNF-GNP-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE. The electrochemical response of pyritinol to CNF-GNP-modified SPCE was studied by cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry (SWV. Under optimized working conditions, the novel sensor shows excellent voltamperometric response toward pyritinol. The SWV study shows significantly enhanced electrochemical response for pyritinol in CNF-GNP-modified SPCE providing high sensitivity to the novel sensor for pyritinol detection. The peak current for pyritinol is found to be linear with the concentration in the range 1.0×10-8–5.0×10-5 M with a detection limit of 6.23×10-9 M using SWV as the detection method. The viability of the new developed sensor for the analytical purposes was studied by performing experiments on various commercial pharmaceutical products and blood serum samples, which yielded adequate recoveries of pyritinol. The novel electrochemical sensor provides high sensitivity, enhanced selectivity, good reproducibility and practical applicability. Keywords: pyritinol, carbon nanofiber, gold nanoparticle, sensor, square-wave voltammetry

  15. 49 CFR Appendix A to Part 580 - Secure Printing Processes and Other Secure Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... varying screen density in the pantograph. The wording will appear when attempts are made to photocopy on... visible to the naked eye. (a) Erasure Sensitive Background Inks—a process whereby the text is printed in a dark color ink over a fine line erasure-sensitive prismatic ink tint. (b) Security Lamination—retro...

  16. Advances in Home Photo Printing

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Qian Lin; Brian Atkins; Huitao Luo

    2004-01-01

    With digital camera adoptions going main stream, consumers capture a record number of photos.Currently, the majority of the digital photos are printed at home. One of the key enablers of this transformation is the advancement of home photo printing technologies. In the past few years, inkjet printing technologies have continued to deliver smaller drop size, larger number of inks, and longer-lasting prints. In the mean time, advanced image processing automatically enhances captured digital photos while being printed. The combination of the above two forces has closed the gap between the home photo prints and AgX prints. It will give an overview of the home photo printing market and technology trends, and discuss major advancements in automatic image processing.

  17. Rapid determination of nitrophenol isomers in polluted water based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Essy Kouadio Fodjo

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available A sensitive screen-printed electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs/SPE was applied to determine simultaneously m-nitrophenol, o-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol. The electrochemical response showed that o-nitrophenol, m-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol were entirely separated at the MWCNTs/SPE interface. Under the optimized conditions, it was found that the detection limits were 8.1×10-8 , 5.5×10-7 and 2.0×10-7 M and the linear calibration ranges were 1.0×10-6 ~1.9×10-5 M, 2.5×10-6 ~2.1×10-5 M and 2.0×10-6 ~2.0×10-5 M for m-nitrophenol, o-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol respectively, proving that the electrode presented here could be easily used to determine nitrophenol isomers simultaneously with high sensitivity within pH range from 4.8 to 8.0. The applications in water samples showed that no interferences appeared with deviations below 5% to the determination of nitrophenol isomers with 1000 fold excess, indicating a good response of this method for nitrophenol isomers detection. This disposable modified SPE combining with a portable electrochemical device were performed for wastewater samples on-field rapid determination.

  18. Detection of Total Phenol in Green and Black Teas by Flow Injection System and Unmodified Screen Printed Electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivanildo Luiz de Mattos

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A flow injection system using an unmodified gold screen-printed electrode was employed for total phenol determination in black and green teas. In order to avoid passivation of the electrode surface due to the redox reaction, preoxidation of the sample was realized by hexacyanoferrate(III followed by addition of an EDTA solution. The complex formed in the presence of EDTA minimizes or avoids polymerization of the oxidized phenols. The previously filtered tea sample and hexacyanoferrate(III reagent were introduced simultaneously into two-carrier streams producing two reproducible zones. At confluence point, the pre-oxidation of the phenolic compounds occurs while this zone flows through the coiled reactor and receives the EDTA solution before phenol detection. The consumption of ferricyanide was monitorized at 360 mV versus Ag/AgCl and reflected the total amount of phenolic compounds present in the sample. Results were reported as gallic acid equivalents (GAEs. The proposed system is robust, versatile, environmentally-friendly (since the reactive is used only in the presence of the sample, and allows the analysis of about 35–40 samples per hour with detection limit = 1 mg/L without the necessity for surface cleaning after each measurement. Precise results are in agreement with those obtained by the Folin-Ciocalteu method.

  19. LPG and NH3 Sensing Properties of SnO2 Thick Film Resistors Prepared by Screen Printing Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. GARDE

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The gas sensing behavior of SnO2 thick film resistors deposited on alumina substrates has been investigated for LPG and NH3 gas. The standard screen printing technology was used to prepare the thick films. The films were fired at optimized temperature of 780 0C for 30 minutes. The material characterization was performed by XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV and EDAX for elemental analysis. IR spectroscopy analysis at 2949.26 cm-1 showed the peak assigned to the –Sn-H vibration due to the effect of hybridization i.e. sp3 and the sharp peak at 3734.31 cm-1 assigned to –Sn-OH stretching vibration due to hydrogen bonding. The variation of D.C electrical resistance of SnO2 film samples was measured in air as well as in LPG and NH3 gas atmosphere as a function of temperature. The SnO2 film samples show negative temperature coefficient of résistance. The SnO2 film samples showed the highest sensitivity to 600 ppm of LPG at 230 0C and NH3 at 370 0C. The effect of microstructure on sensitivity, response time and recovery time of the sensor in the presence of LPG and NH3 gases were studied and discussed.

  20. Printed Electronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korkut, Sibel (Inventor); Chiang, Katherine S. (Inventor); Crain, John M. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor); Lettow, John S. (Inventor); Chen, Chuan-Hua (Inventor); Prud'Homme, Robert K. (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    Printed electronic device comprising a substrate onto at least one surface of which has been applied a layer of an electrically conductive ink comprising functionalized graphene sheets and at least one binder. A method of preparing printed electronic devices is further disclosed.