Can the mechanical activation (polishing) of screen-printed electrodes enhance their electroanalytical response?

• Published in: Analyst (London) Vol. 141; no. 9; pp. 2791 - 2799
• Main Authors: Cumba, Loanda R, Foster, Christopher W, Brownson, Dale A C, Smith, Jamie P, Iniesta, Jesus, Thakur, Bhawana, do Carmo, Devaney R, Banks, Craig E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 25.04.2016
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Diamonds; Electrodes; Mechanical activation; Polished; Polishing; Sprayers; Sprays
• ISSN: 0003-2654; 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/c6an00167j

The mechanical activation (polishing) of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) is explored and shown to exhibit an improved voltammetric response (in specific cases) when polished with either commonly available alumina slurry or diamond spray. Proof-of-concept is demonstrated for the electrochemical sensing of nitrite where an increase in the voltammetric current is found using both polishing protocols, exhibiting an improved limit of detection (3σ) and a two-fold increase in the electroanalytical sensitivity compared to the respective un-polished counterpart. It is found that mechanical activation/polishing increases the C/O ratio which significantly affects inner-sphere electrochemical probes only (whereas outer-sphere systems remain unaffected). Mechanical activation/polishing has the potential to be a simple pre-treatment technique that can be extended and routinely applied towards other analytes for an observable improvement in the electroanalytical response.