A Sustainable, Wireless, Autonomous Nanocellulose-based Quantitative DoA Biosensing Platform

Background

Paper-based printed electronics are new recyclable electronic devices with technical, economic and environmental advantages. Additionally, nanocellulose- based printed electronics, produced mainly from wood pulp, offer better printability and performance than paper. It is a promising source of innovation in the biomedical industry.

Goal

The main goal of the project is the use of nanocellulose as a substrate for printed electronics, for lamination film for the encapsulation of the final device and as an active component in the formulation of functional inks. The nanocellulose surface will be functionalized to be printable, with good barrier properties and compatible with functional inks.

Pilot lines & mass production

Pilot lines and high throughput, high precision and cost-effective S2S screen-printing and ink-jet printing techniques will be used to produce materials and components at large-scale. The final flexible and recyclable biosensing platform will be mass producible with ultra-low power consumption and, therefore, cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly

Pilot scale production of the biosensing platform

Printed electronics components

Sheet-to-sheet screen-printing is used for the fabrication of the NC-based functional components:

  • Circuitry
  • NFC Antenna
  • Energy storage components
  • Display

Biosensors

The innovative biosensors developed are able to detect five drugs of abuse in urine or saliva. For this, specific bio-inks are formulated and printed onto the nanocellulose substrate.

Silicon Microchip

It controls all printed electronic components, allowing:

  • System monitoring
  • Power management
  • Control and reading of the electrochemical biosensor
  • On-board data analysis
  • Control of electrochemic display for data presentation
  • Communication via NFC technology with external devices (e.g. smartphones)

Pilot scale production of the biosensing platform

Nanocellulose

Nanocellulose is a nano-sized material obtained through the mechanical or chemical delamination of wood and plant fibers. It is an emerging type of nature-derived and renewable nanomaterial that shows extraordinary mechanical and lightweight properties. Furthermore, nanocellulose has unique rheological properties, colloid stability, excellent film forming ability with very promising gas barrier properties. Consequently, nanocellulose is becoming one of the most promising sustainable building blocks for future advanced materials.