A glucose sensor fabricated by piezoelectric inkjet printing of conducting polymers and bienzymes.

Piezoelectric inkjet printing of polymers and proteins holds great promise for fabrication of miniaturized bioelectronic devices, such as biochips and biosensors. In this study, a bienzymatic glucose biosensor prototype based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT-PSS), glucose oxidase (GOD), and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was fabricated by a piezoelectric inkjet printer. An aqueous bioelectrical ink containing PEDOT-PSS, GOD, and HRP was prepared and printed on an indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film. The PEDOT-PSS/GOD/HRP sensor was covered with a cellulose acetate membrane. The use of bienzymatic sensing combined with conducting polymers via piezoelectric inkjet printing showed a synergistic effect resulting in significant amplification of the response signal. The glucose sensor reached steady-state current density within 3 s, indicating a fast response time, and exhibited a linear dose-dependent electrochemical response with high sensitivity. The overall result demonstrates that a glucose sensor with high sensitivity could be readily fabricated by a piezoelectric inkjet printing system.