Direct Laser‐Assisted Adhesion and Patterning of Ultrathin Metal Leaves on Polymeric Substrates Without Use of Adhesives for Fabrication of Electrochemical Sensors

ABSTRACT

The integration of metal patterns on polymer substrates is critical for applications in flexible electronics and wearable devices. Current methods use expensive vacuum processes or adhesives, neither of which is suitable. Here, we present a laser‐assisted method for simultaneously attaching and patterning metal leaves onto polymer substrates without adhesives. This technique eliminates the need for surface modifications or mask fabrication by directly attaching the metal leaves through localized melting of the polymer surface. We demonstrate the use of this technique to attach and pattern gold and silver onto various substrates, such as polystyrene, polypropylene, polyurethane, and even paraffin. The method offers a versatile and cost‐effective alternative to complex deposition processes. By combining this laser‐assisted technique with pre‐stretched polymer films, feature sizes as small as 190 µm can be obtained. Using this approach, we fabricated electrochemical hydrogen peroxide sensors with a detection limit of 0.005 ppm, capable of operating up to 900 ppm. Additionally, glucose sensors were developed with a detection limit of 100 µ

, effectively detecting glucose concentrations up to 15 m . This method simplifies the fabrication of customized metallic components on polymer surfaces, addressing challenges such as poor adhesion and time‐consuming patterning, while enabling broader applications in flexible electronics.