Sustainable silver nanoparticle-enhanced additive manufactured sensor for cadmium (II) sensing in environmental waters

Autor(es)

Augusto, Karen K. L. ; Bernalte, Elena ; Crapnell, Robert D. ; Andrews, Hayley G. ; Fatibello-Filho, Orlando ; Banks, Craig E.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING; v. 13, n. 3, p. 8-pg., 2025-06-01.

Resumo

The development of bespoke, high-performance conductive filament is critical to address limitations of current additively manufactured sensors. In particular, enhancing the sensitivity and reliability of this technology is vital toward their in-the-field applications such as water pollution monitoring. As such, we present the production of filament containing a mix of carbon black (CB) and graphite (G) functionalised with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that does not require special printing conditions, special instrumentation, or any post-print modification for the detection of cadmium (II) in environmental waters. The AgNPs are synthesised on graphite flakes using an ecofriendly, aqueous synthesis, without additional reducing agents and their presence is confirmed through SEM, EDX and XPS analysis. The AgNP loaded graphite is incorporated into a filament using recycled PLA and the biobased plasticiser castor oil, ensuring sustainability is at the heart of the work. The electrodes produced a heterogeneous rate constant, k0, of (1.9 +/- 0.2) x 10- 3 cm s- 1 and were applied toward the detection of cadmium (II) within buffer, tap water, and river water samples. Importantly, using electrodes straight from the print bed with no post-print modification, a Limit of Detection of 0.43 mu g L- 1 and a Limit of Quantification of 1.44 mu g L- 1 towards the sensing of cadmium (II), significantly below the worldwide targets of 3-5 mu g L- 1, was achievedwas achieved. This work shows a simple but effective approach to include metallic nanoparticles within conductive additive manufacturing filament and the capabilities towards monitoring heavy metal contaminants in water systems. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 24/04116-8 - Emprego de solventes eutéticos profundos em procedimentos espectrofotométricos e eletroanalíticos sustentáveis
• Beneficiário: Orlando Fatibello Filho
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular