1. Introduction & Overview The webinar focused on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) and their practical applications, featuring live demonstrations. Emphasis on real-world examples over theoretical slides, with 6–10 fast-paced experiments.
2. Why Screen-Printed Electrodes? Glucose strips exemplify SPE utility: low-cost, rapid, easy-to-use biosensors with minimal sample prep (e.g., 300 nL blood). Advantages of SPEs: Scalability for mass production (billions of glucose strips/year). Compatibility with wearable potentiostats (e.g., USB-C powered, cloud-enabled devices). Fast results (e.g., caffeine detection in Red Bull: ~0.3 mg/g, matching label claims).
3. Material Choices for SPEs Carbon/Graphite: Best for low-cost assays; avoids precious-metal price volatility. Gold: Expensive (price tripled recently); only justified for specific applications (e.g., self-assembled monolayers). Platinum: Useful for catalytic reactions (e.g., hydrogen peroxide detection in enzyme sensors). Graphene: Novel but lacks commercial viability; no significant advantage over carbon.
4. Practical Demonstrations Caffeine in Red Bull: Detected via square-wave voltammetry; result (0.261 mg/g) matched label (0.3 mg/g). Cloud-based data processing (Djuli platform) enabled real-time analysis. Sudan Red: Irreversible EC mechanism (oxidation without reduction) demonstrated. Ferricyanide: Reversible redox reaction; minimal improvement after acid cleaning (pH 2), proving SPE durability. Randles-Sevcik Equation: Peak current ∝ √(scan rate); validated with fast cyclic voltammetry (4 scans in under 2 mins).
5. Key Technical Insights Compliance Voltage: SPE designs account for low-power potentiostats. Connectors: High-impedance connections can skew results; proper setup is critical. Stability: Temperature: SPEs manufactured at 150°C (ceramic at 700°C); operational range likely higher than aqueous boiling points. pH: Tolerates acidic conditions (pH 2 tested); avoid organic solvents (e.g., acetonitrile, DMSO), which degrade electrodes.
6. Recommendations Pre-use Cleaning: Enhances reproducibility (similar to glassy carbon electrode protocols). Avoid Custom Designs: Low-volume bespoke SPEs risk higher costs and lower quality. Discount Code: 10%_May_2025 (excludes U.S. distributor IO Rodeo).
7. Q&A Highlights Organic Solvents: SPEs are not stable in aggressive solvents (e.g., acetonitrile, DMSO); use aqueous/5% ethanol solutions. Data Reproducibility: Cloud-enabled tools (Djuli) streamline analysis and storage.
Conclusion SPEs offer robust, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for electrochemical sensing, especially in point-of-care and industrial applications. The live demos underscored their speed, reproducibility, and integration with modern tech (wearables, cloud analytics). For further details, access the webinar recording or contact ZP for technical support. Final Thought: If you’re developing assays, start with carbon SPEs—they’re the workhorses of electrochemistry.