Screen‐Printed Carbon Electrodes

Currently, screen-printed carbon electrodes find application in many areas of electrochemistry, but most notably in chemical and biochemical sensing, energy conversion and storage, and microelectronics. Almost all forms of carbon have been deposited by screen printing, with graphite, carbon black, and activated carbon being the most widely used. The screen printing process has three principal advantages over other methods of electrode manufacture. First, the electrode area, electrode thickness, and electrode composition are readily controlled. Second, statistical validation of experimental results is made possible by the existence of replicate electrodes. Third, catalysts can be incorporated simply by adding them to the screen printing ink (paste). In the carbon industry, it has long been recognized that the hydrophilicity of carbon surfaces can be enhanced by the introduction of oxygen functionalities. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is probably the most widely used thermoplastic binder.