Critical Role of 3D Printing Parameters in the Performance of Electrochemical Sensors

Additive manufacturing, particularly fused deposition modeling (FDM), has emerged as a promising approach for producing electrochemical sensors based on conductive thermoplastic composites. In this study, the effects of various printing parameters (extrusion temperature, layer height and width, printing speed, and the number of conductive layers) on the electrochemical performance of PLA/CB electrodes fabricated via FDM were investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses showed that properly adjusting these parameters promoted the formation of more efficient conductive pathways and reduced charge transfer resistance during the monitoring of the redox behavior of the potassium ferrocyanide/ferricyanide probe. Furthermore, the applicability of the sensor was demonstrated through the determination of dopamine, achieving a detection limit of 0.16 µmol L⁻¹. Overall, the findings highlighted that optimizing printing conditions is essential for enhancing the electrochemical response of the sensors and further strengthened the potential of 3D printing as a promising route for the fabrication of electrodes for electroanalytical applications.