Webinar Recording – Reproducible Roll-to-role PCB-based electrodes

Biosensors play an important role in diagnostics. They are essential to point-of-care testing and a highly useful tool for disease detection. However, their performance relies heavily on the quality and reproducibility of their electrodes, which must ensure consistent electrochemical measurements for reliable data interpretation.

This webinar will explore how Linxens Healthcare, a leader in high-complexity manufacturing for medical applications, utilizes Roll-to-Roll (R2R) manufacturing to produce highly reproducible PCB-based electrodes at scale. In collaboration with PalmSens, a specialist in electrochemical sensing solutions, and a key distributor of Linxens’ electrodes, we will discuss how this advanced manufacturing approach supports the development of more reliable and scalable biosensor technologies. Join us to learn how R2R-manufactured PCB electrodes are shaping the future of electrochemical biosensing.

This webinar was recorded on Wednesday, March 19th 2025.

Video chapters

Video chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:02 Poll results: what electrodes do you use, and what is your biggest challenge
1:35 What are disposable electrodes
4:00 Screen-printed electrodes
5:47 Thin-film electrodes
8:06 Roll-to-roll PCB-based electrodes
13:52 What makes Linxes electrodes higly reproducible?
15:35 Performance evaluation
18:26 Questions round
35:58 Thank you and good bye!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you ensure minimal copper impurities in the final electrode?

PCB manufacture process is based on copper. The copper is first coated with a layer of nickel, followed by a layer of noble metal such as gold, silver, palladium, or platinum.

Linxens’ expertise in electrodeposition on nickel and noble metals, using a specific setup, ensures complete encapsulation of the copper. This is supported by the results of the electrochemical analysis.

Which PalmSens instruments has a connector that works with the Linxens electrode?

All instruments with an SPE connector, support the Linxens electrodes.

Instruments which support Linxens electrodes

What is the minimum width of an electrode?

The resolution goes down to a minimum of 50µm.

How do you make Pt electrodes?

As with gold, for platinum, after copper etching, a layer of nickel is electrodeposited, followed by platinum deposition from a platinum metal ion bath.

Is it possible to get other type of reference electrodes? For instance Ag/AgCl instead of Au?

Yes, Linxens can use pure silver as a reference through electrodeposition, as well as Ag/AgCl from ink. Linxens is actively working on this for the next generation of our electrodes. However, it is important to note that this is a pseudo-reference, and the presence of Cl⁻ ions in the medium could affect the reference potential.

What product on the market uses this technology?

The epoc® NXS from Siemens Healthineers is an excellent example.

Is the flexible substrate and coverlay resistant to organic solvents?

For example ethanol, because it’s often used to dissolve alkanethiols for making a SAM on gold.

It depends on the protocol and exposure time. For short exposures of less than 5 minutes, the electrode with coverlay withstands alcohol-based solvents. The gold version, without coverlay, also resists alcohol-based solvent.

Where are these electrodes produced?

France

What is the minimum order quantity?

For a customized design, the minimum order quantity depends on the electrode size. For the standard OT5 Linxens electrode via PalmSens, the MOQ is 100 units.

Order electrodes

What contributes to the costs of the electrode?

The cost depends on four factors:

Material choice
Process complexity
Number of electrodes per meter (design)
Order volume (the larger the order, the lower the unit price)

Do you also propose electrode functionalization (adding bioreceptors to the electrodes)?

Linxens does not perform bioreceptor functionalization themselves, but they have a strong partner who is familiar with our electrodes and can handle this.