Tunable nano-structured inkjet printed graphene via UV pulsed-laser irradiation for electrochemical sensing

An article of manufacture comprising patterned graphene on a substrate made by the process of:

• a. providing graphene ink comprising, in solution, graphene flakes;
• b. applying the graphene ink in one or more layers to the substrate in a predetermined pattern;
• and
• c. post-application processing one or more selected portions of the applied predetermined pattern of the graphene ink by:
• i. controlling laser power density of a laser at the one or more selected portions of the applied predetermined pattern of the graphene ink by pulsing the laser at a wavelength, pulse width, repetition rate, and laser energy effective to:
• 1. Physically join at least some of the graphene flakes to form a generally planar 2D structure;
• 2. Transform the generally planar two-dimensional (2D) structure to a generally three-dimensional (3D) structure;
• and
• 3. Wherein the laser energy is controlled to be non-destructive of the applied predetermined pattern or the substrate;
• d. so that the post-application processing tunes an electrical or physical property of the one or more selected portions of the applied predetermined pattern of the graphene ink and the product comprises a substrate with a tuned, post-patterning processed, laser-induced, non-destructive, controlled laser power density nano-structured graphene-based predetermined pattern on the substrate.