Aerosol jet printed sensors for protein detection: A preliminary study

Abstract

The possibility to implement engineered devices to obtain feedbacks from biological samples is taking diagnostics and biotechnological research to a new level. Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP) represents a promising technique for this kind of applications. The benefits are related to manufacturing of customized, complex geometries with a high resolution even on irregular surfaces without masks. In this paper, we present the realization of an Aerosol Jet Printed microdevice addressed to protein detection and quantification in biological samples. The sensor was realized with particular attention to materials and geometry choices. The thickness of printed layers was measured thanks to a profilometer, while an electrical evaluation was performed thanks to a multimeter, in order to measure the electrical resistance offered by the printed elements. Finally, the possibility to immobilize antibodies on sensor surface for electrochemical protein quantification was assessed with fluorescence imaging. Final results obtained stated the possibility to print with AJP high resolution lines, with proper values of resistivity. Imaging findings showed a good adhesion of antibodies on the electrodes, Ag-based Anodic stripping voltammetry confirmed sensors’ capability to quantify proteins, proposing the designed sensors as promising for the analysis of real biological samples.