High current density 3D electrodes manufactured by technical embroidery

Embroidery techniques allow flexible construction of 3D electrodes, which can form the conductive backbone in ultra-thick electrodes. 3D structures were manufactured by combination of stainless steel yarn, Cu wire, polyester (PES) fabric and Cu/Ni-coated PES web. Alkaline solutions of 9,10-anthraquinone-1,5-disulfonate or 1,2-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-3-sulfonate (Alizarin Red S) were used as reversible redox systems to characterise the electrodes by voltammetry in a flow cell. The height of the diffusion-limited current for the reversible cathodic reduction of the 9,10-anthraquinoide group was used as measure for the electrode performance. Compared to plane Cu electrodes, an increase in the diffusion-limited cathodic current density by factor 3-5 was obtained.