Systematic Characterization and Batch-to-Batch Reproducibility of Commercial Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes

Screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) have become fundamental tools in electroanalysis owing to their low cost, portability, and adaptable surface properties [1,2]. Their widespread use in environmental monitoring and biomedical sensing highlights their practical relevance [3,4]; however, substantial variability among manufacturers and production batches may adversely affect analytical reliability and data comparability [2,5]. Therefore, a rigorous and systematic evaluation is necessary to assess their consistency and suitability for interchangeable use in analytical applications. In this work, a comparative investigation of several commercially available SPCEs was performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ferri/ferrocyanide redox probe was employed as a standard model system to examine electron transfer behavior, estimate the electroactive surface area, and evaluate signal repeatability and stability [3,4]. The results reveal notable differences in electrochemical response and reproducibility, including significant batch-to-batch variability, even for electrodes with comparable nominal characteristics [1,5]. Complementary morphological and compositional characterization was carried out to correlate physicochemical properties with electrochemical performance. Overall, this study establishes practical benchmarking parameters for the selection and reliable implementation of SPCEs, enabling informed trade-offs between analytical performance and reproducibility [5,6]. In addition, preliminary surface functionalization approaches, including electropolymerization, were explored to investigate their potential to improve electrode performance and tailor surface-dependent analytical selectivity. References [1] R.D. Crapnell, C.E. Banks, ChemElectroChem, 2024, 11. [2] R. Andreeva, A. Tsanev, Metals, 2025, 15. [3] Z. Taleat, A. Khoshroo, Microchimica Acta, 2014, 181, 865-891. [4] J. Barton, M.B.G. García, Microchim Acta, 2016, 183, 503–517. [5] Z. Lihua, H. Hongliang, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2018, 101, 304-310. [6] S.R. Subramaniam, Z.Z. Abidin, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 2025, 236(14).