An Electroactive and Self-Assembling Bio-Ink, based on Protein-Stabilized Nanoclusters and Graphene, for the Manufacture of Fully Inkjet-Printed Paper-Based Analytical Devices

Abstract

Hundreds of new electrochemical sensors are reported in literature every year. However, only a few of them makes it to the market. Manufacturability, or rather the lack of it, is the parameter that dictates if new sensing technologies will remain forever in the laboratory in which they are conceived. Inkjet printing is a low-cost and versatile technique that can facilitate the transfer of nanomaterial-based sensors to the market. Herein, an electroactive and self-assembling inkjet-printable ink based on protein-nanomaterial composites and exfoliated graphene is reported. The consensus tetratricopeptide proteins (CTPRs), used to formulate this ink, are engineered to template and coordinate electroactive metallic nanoclusters (NCs), and to self-assemble upon drying, forming stable films. The authors demonstrate that, by incorporating graphene in the ink formulation, it is possible to dramatically improve the electrocatalytic properties of the ink, obtaining an efficient hybrid material for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection. Using this bio-ink, the authors manufactured disposable and environmentally sustainable electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs) to detect H2O2, outperforming commercial screen-printed platforms. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that oxidoreductase enzymes can be included in the formulation, to fully inkjet-print enzymatic amperometric biosensors ready to use.