Upscaling laboratory organic electronic sensor devices to roll-to-roll printing: The effect of printable electrodes on device operation

The prospect of large-scale production of low-cost electronic devices is a driving factor behind the recent interest in printed organic electronics. However, the upscaling of laboratory organic electronic devices is extremely challenging since it requires the adaptation of materials and fabrication processes optimized for the small scale to industrial manufacturing techniques, such as roll-to-roll printing. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of all-printed organic biosensors at the pilot production scale for use in the detection of glucose. By translating device architecture and operation, as well as electrode design and ink formulations of previously reported laboratory-scale glucose sensors to industrial printing and coating processes, we demonstrate sub-millimolar sensitivity to glucose in fully printed devices in a process which is now scalable to commercial production quantities. This Letter highlights the significant challenges associated with developing upscaled printed organic electronic biosensors and the approaches needed to address them.