Compared EC-AFM Analysis of Laser-Induced Graphene and Graphite Electrodes in Sulfuric Acid Electrolyte

Abstract

Flexible and economic sensor devices are the focus of increasing interest for their potential and wide applications in medicine, food analysis, pollution, water quality, etc. In these areas, the possibility of using stable, reproducible, and pocket devices can simplify the acquisition of data. Among recent prototypes, sensors based on laser-induced graphene (LIGE) on Kapton represent a feasible choice. In particular, LIGE devices are also exploited as electrodes for sensing in liquids. Despite a characterization with electrochemical (EC) methods in the literature, a closer comparison with traditional graphite electrodes is still missing. In this study, we combine atomic force microscopy with an EC cell (EC-AFM) to study, in situ, electrode oxidation reactions when LIGE or other graphite samples are used as anodes inside an acid electrolyte. This investigation shows the quality and performance of the LIGE electrode with respect to other samples. Finally, an ex situ Raman spectroscopy analysis allows a detailed chemical analysis of the employed electrodes.