Square for Conductivity

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The main goal of these designs is described in "Electrolysis Activation of Fused Filament Fabrication 3D Printed Electrodes for Electrochemical and Spectroelectrochemical Analysis," which is published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. DOI:10.1021/acs.analchem.9b01331 This particular part is a simple square design to fit within the 4-point probe instrument used for conductivity measurements. We have printed this part using both ProtoPasta and BlackMagic PLA-composite 3D printing filaments, available at https://www.proto-pasta.com/products/conductive-pla and http://www.blackmagic3d.com/default.asp. Details regarding conductivity enhancement can be found in the post-printing information. Activation of the electrode (enhancement of conductivity) of this part is achieved through a soaking process. Enhancement over three orders of magnitude has been experimentally determined. For the soaking process, 10 milliliters of a 4M hydroxide solution can be used. The optimal time for this electrode was found to be six to twenty-four hours when using the BlackMagic filament and twenty-four to seventy-two hours when using the ProtoPasta filament. In our studies, we used sodium hydroxide, which is available online at https://www.amazon.com/Sodium-Hydroxide-Pure-Grade-Caustic/dp/B06W57NL8S/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=sodium+hydroxide&qid=1554747032&s=gateway&sr=8-3. Note that high concentrations of hydroxide are corrosive and should be handled with care. To prepare a 4M solution, mix sixteen grams of NaOH with approximately one hundred milliliters of water. This is an exothermic process and should be performed in a well-ventilated area.