Studying the preparation, electrochemical performance testing, comparison and application of a cost-effective flexible graphene working electrode

Supatinee Kongkaew; Proespichaya Kanatharana; Panote Thavarungkul; Warakorn Limbut

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.08.121

Studying the preparation, electrochemical performance testing, comparison and application of a cost-effective flexible graphene working electrode

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2021 Feb 1:583:487-498. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.08.121. Epub 2020 Sep 15.

Authors

Supatinee Kongkaew¹, Proespichaya Kanatharana¹, Panote Thavarungkul¹, Warakorn Limbut²

Affiliations

¹ Center of Excellence for Trace Analysis and Biosensor, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand.
² Center of Excellence for Trace Analysis and Biosensor, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand; Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand. Electronic address: warakorn.l@psu.ac.th.

PMID: 33017693
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.08.121

Abstract

-A cost-effective flexible graphene working electrode (FGWE) was fabricated using overhead projector transparent film (OPTF) and a screen-printing technique. The surface morphology and electrochemical behavior of the electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The electrode presented a very thin layer of conductive ink (16.0 ± 0.7 µm) on a large effective surface area (0.301 ± 0.001 cm^-2). The anodic peak current density (j_pa) of acetaminophen (ACT) in FGWE was 5.2, 3.7, 3.5 and 6.0 times greater than the j_pa of glassy carbon electrode (GCE), flexible carbon working electrode (FCWE), SPE1, and SPE2, respectively. The electrochemical performance of FGWE toward ACT was evaluated by differential pulse voltammetry. Under optimized condition, ACT was quantified in a range of 4-100 µM, with good sensitivity, good accuracy (recovery = 82.3 ± 0.4 to 106 ± 3%), and excellent precision. FGWE was applied to determine ACT in commercial pharmaceutical formulations. The results of the study are in good agreement with those obtained by the standard spectrophotometric method. These results indicate that disposable FGWE is particularly useful for the detection of ACT, and its performance may serve as a platform for cost-effective flexible electrochemical sensors.

Keywords: Acetaminophen; Differential pulse voltammetry; Flexible graphene working electrode; Overhead projector film; Screen-printed electrode.