Disposable Sensor Devices Fabricated by Paper Crafting Tools

Disposable sensor device concepts are presented in this work by the use of traditional paper crafting tools and techniques. A printer, a paper-cutting machine, and a laminator were used to create electrodes and hydrophobic barriers. With the combination of different paper crafting techniques, electrodes as well as microfluidic channels could be fabricated. For demonstration, a paper-based microfluidic device with impedance readout is introduced in this study. Laser printed polyester particles from a toner were used as an adhesive interface for a metal film transfer process, resulting in a defined electrode pattern. A cut pattern produced by a paper-cutting machine was used to produce distinct hydrophobic barriers, which constituted microfluidic channels and sample reservoirs. The application was demonstrated by developing flexible interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). The developed IDEs could be used to determine chemical concentrations of electrolyte and glucose. The presented fabrication method is suitable for rapid, low-cost production of flexible disposable sensors from digital files using well-known crafting practices.