Use of Embossing Films in the Construction of Thick-Film Ion-Selective Membrane Electrodes by Screen Printing Technique

摘要

The manuscript presents the solution to different detected problems in the manufacture of polymeric membrane-based potentiometric sensors when the screen printing technique is used. Mainly, these are the crevice formation in the conducting tracks and membrane contact area, as well as overflow of membrane materials in sensor array designs. These effects are caused by chemical action or surface active distortions by solvents used in the membrane cocktail. We propose the use of embossing films to prepare the screen masks, which allows to increase the thickness of the layers forming the sensors, and permits to define appropriate wells for the manual deposition and casting of membranes. Characterization of a potassium sensor based on dibenzo-18-crown-6 and manufactured accordingly is performed.