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An investigation into the effect of fabrication parameter variation on the characteristics of screen printed thick film silver/silver chloride reference electrodes

An investigation into the effect of fabrication parameter variation on the characteristics of screen printed thick film silver/silver chloride reference electrodes
An investigation into the effect of fabrication parameter variation on the characteristics of screen printed thick film silver/silver chloride reference electrodes
Purpose – the purpose of this paper is to show how the fabrication parameters of screen-printed thick-film reference electrodes have been experimentally varied and their effect on device characteristics investigated.

Design/methodology/approach – the tested devices were fabricated as screen-printed planar structures consisting of a silver back contact, a silver/silver chloride interfacial layer and a final salt reservoir layer containing potassium chloride. The fabrication parameters varied included deposition method and thickness, salt concentration and binder type used for the final salt reservoir layer. Characterisation was achieved by monitoring the electrode potentials as a function of time following initial immersion in test fluids in order to ascertain initial hydration times, subsequent electrode drift rates and useful lifetime of the electrodes. Additionally, the effect of fabrication parameter variation on electrode stability and their response time in various test media was also investigated.

Findings – results indicate that, although a trade-off exists between hydration times and drift rate that is dependent on device thickness, the initial salt concentration levels and binder type also have a significant bearing on the practical useful lifetime. Generally speaking, thicker devices take longer to hydrate but have longer useful lifetimes in a given range of chloride environments. However, the electrode stability and response time is also influenced by the type of binder material employed for the final salt reservoir layer.

Originality/value – the reported results help to explain better the behaviour of thick-film reference electrodes and contribute towards the optimisation of their design and fabrication for use in solid-state chemical sensor
1356-5362
49-52
Atkinson, J. K.
5e9729b2-0e1f-400d-a889-c74f6390ea58
Glanc, M.
dc87fe17-676d-4cbb-8755-3434d18a83c2
Boltryk, P.
f6c648f1-9d60-41f3-9e48-472503b1ffc4
Sophocleous, M.
64564e72-938f-48f2-ae8f-b57699626eab
Garcia-Breijo, E.
586ed203-2f92-494f-ae7d-b39939d7db71
Atkinson, J. K.
5e9729b2-0e1f-400d-a889-c74f6390ea58
Glanc, M.
dc87fe17-676d-4cbb-8755-3434d18a83c2
Boltryk, P.
f6c648f1-9d60-41f3-9e48-472503b1ffc4
Sophocleous, M.
64564e72-938f-48f2-ae8f-b57699626eab
Garcia-Breijo, E.
586ed203-2f92-494f-ae7d-b39939d7db71

Atkinson, J. K., Glanc, M., Boltryk, P., Sophocleous, M. and Garcia-Breijo, E. (2011) An investigation into the effect of fabrication parameter variation on the characteristics of screen printed thick film silver/silver chloride reference electrodes. Microelectronics International, 28 (2), 49-52. (doi:10.1108/13565361111127368).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Purpose – the purpose of this paper is to show how the fabrication parameters of screen-printed thick-film reference electrodes have been experimentally varied and their effect on device characteristics investigated.

Design/methodology/approach – the tested devices were fabricated as screen-printed planar structures consisting of a silver back contact, a silver/silver chloride interfacial layer and a final salt reservoir layer containing potassium chloride. The fabrication parameters varied included deposition method and thickness, salt concentration and binder type used for the final salt reservoir layer. Characterisation was achieved by monitoring the electrode potentials as a function of time following initial immersion in test fluids in order to ascertain initial hydration times, subsequent electrode drift rates and useful lifetime of the electrodes. Additionally, the effect of fabrication parameter variation on electrode stability and their response time in various test media was also investigated.

Findings – results indicate that, although a trade-off exists between hydration times and drift rate that is dependent on device thickness, the initial salt concentration levels and binder type also have a significant bearing on the practical useful lifetime. Generally speaking, thicker devices take longer to hydrate but have longer useful lifetimes in a given range of chloride environments. However, the electrode stability and response time is also influenced by the type of binder material employed for the final salt reservoir layer.

Originality/value – the reported results help to explain better the behaviour of thick-film reference electrodes and contribute towards the optimisation of their design and fabrication for use in solid-state chemical sensor

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Published date: 2011

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 191395
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/191395
ISSN: 1356-5362
PURE UUID: 3a26dfc4-0c14-48a9-9cb6-2b441bf7bf34
ORCID for J. K. Atkinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3411-8034

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Date deposited: 21 Jun 2011 08:50
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:33

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Contributors

Author: J. K. Atkinson ORCID iD
Author: M. Glanc
Author: P. Boltryk
Author: M. Sophocleous
Author: E. Garcia-Breijo

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