New route for the production of lab-made composite filaments based on soybean oil, polylactic acid and carbon black nanoparticles, and its application in the additive manufacturing of electrochemical sensors

Author(s)

Silva, Luiz R. G. ; Bertolim, Lucas Ventosa ; Stefano, Jessica S. ; Bonacin, Juliano A. ; Richter, Eduardo M. ; Munoz, Rodrigo A. A. ; Janegitz, Bruno C.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Electrochimica Acta; v. 513, p. 11-pg., 2025-02-10.

Abstract

This work introduces a novel approach for fabricating flexible conductive filaments using carbon black nanoparticles and polylactic acid (CB-PLA), designed for application in additive manufacturing technology (3D printing) to produce electrochemical sensors. This innovative route is entirely sustainable and cost-effective, eliminating the use of solvents, and employing instead, a coffee grinder for the proper mixing of CB nanoparticles and PLA pellets in the manufacturing process. Moreover, the introduce soybean oil as a novel and lowcost plasticizer agent in the fabrication of CB-PLA filaments. As a proof of concept, 3D-printed electrochemical sensors derived from the newly developed filament were employed for catechol detection in river and tap water samples. The produced conductive filaments and CB-PLA electrodes underwent comprehensive characterization through various techniques, encompassing morphological, spectroscopic, thermoanalytical, and electrochemical ones. The sensor exhibited a robust response for catechol, demonstrating a linear range from 3.0 to 40.0 mu mol L- 1, and a detection limit of 0.7 mu mol L- 1. Additionally, it displayed a recovery rate close to 100 % in real water sample analyses, showing the absence of matrix effects. Consequently, the produced filaments demonstrated exceptional performance for manufacturing electrochemical sensors, and the innovative production route introduces new possibilities. It eliminates the need for solvents or chemical reagents, relying solely on a coffee grinder in conjunction with an extruder. This enables particularly low-infrastructure laboratories to independently produce their own conductive filaments. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 23/06793-4 - Development of applied multiplex electrochemical systems for detection of biomarkers related to cardiovascular diseases
• Grantee: Bruno Campos Janegitz
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants