Chemical and Biochemical Detection Using Ink-Printed Sensors and Platforms

Continuous monitoring of chemicals and biochemicals is critical for rapid and effective decision-making towards human performance monitoring; this data provides in-depth quantitative data that informs on both human protection and performance. To meet this need, new sensors are needed that are flexible, low-cost, robust, and amenable to wearable form-factors. While printed electronics have emerged as a promising candidate for wearable platforms, substantial challenges remain towards both expanding upon the materials that can be ink-printed as well as optimizing the materials and processes to enable repeatable, robust, high-yield fabrication of devices. Here we present multiple examples of our research and engineering accomplishments towards flexible integrated electrochemical sensors for both environmental and physiological monitoring: 1) The first optimized, fully-printed, flexible three-electrode immunosensor for detection of proteins and protein biomarkers. 2) Fully ink-printed, flexible gas sensors for the detection of breath biomarkers and environmental hazards. 3) An integrated armband using flexible hybrid electronics to detect oxygen and volatile organic compounds in confined spaces. Future work will continue to expand the range of sensors that can be readily integrated into these flexible platforms, as well as demonstrations in environments that simulate deployment in real-world conditions.