Synthesis and characterisation of Ag-nanoparticles immobilised on ordered mesoporous carbon as an efficient sensing platform: application to electrocatalytic determination of hydrazine

In this study, a new strategy for the preparation of a modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) based on a novel nano-sensing layer for the electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrazine was suggested. The suggested nano-sensing layer was prepared with the immobilisation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on ordered mesoporous carbon. The morphology and properties of the prepared nanocomposite on the surface of GCE were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption, X-ray powder diffraction and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical response characteristics of the modified electrode towards the target analyte were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Under optimal experimental conditions, the suggested modified GCE showed excellent catalytic activity towards the electro-oxidation of hydrazine (pH = 7.5) with a significant increase in anodic peak currents in comparison with the unmodified GCE. By differential pulse voltammetry and amperometric methods, the suggested sensor demonstrated wide dynamic concentration ranges of 0.08–33.8 µM and 0.01–128 µM with the detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.027 and 0.003 µM for hydrazine, respectively. The suggested hydrazine sensor was successfully applied for the highly sensitive determination of hydrazine in different real samples with satisfactory results.     

A Sensitive and Selective Nitrite Detection in Water Using Graphene/Platinum Nanocomposite

A glassy carbon electrode modified with reduced graphene oxide and platinum nanocomposite film was developed simply by electrochemical method for the sensitive and selective detection of nitrite in water. The electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) efficiently eliminates oxygen‐containing functional groups. Pt nanoparticles were electrochemically and homogeneously deposited on the ErGO surface. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), Raman spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance‐fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to examine the surface morphology and electrocatalytic properties of the Pt‐ErGO nanocomposite film‐modified electrode surface. The fabricated nitrite sensor showed good electrochemical performance with two linear ranges; one from 5 to 100 µM (R²=0.9995) and the other from 100 to 1000 µM (R²=0.9972) and a detection limit of 0.22 µM. The proposed sensor was successfully applied for the detection of nitrite in tap water samples which proves performance of the Pt‐ErGO nanocomposite films.     

Synergistic Effect of Graphene and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on a Glassy Carbon Electrode for Simultaneous Determination of Uric Acid and Dopamine in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid

A poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-graphene-multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode was fabricated and evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The modified electrode offered high sensitivity, selectivity, excellent long-term stability, and electrocatalytic activity for uric acid and dopamine. This sensor showed wide linear dynamic ranges of 5.0 to 350.0 µmol L^?1 for uric acid and 10.0 to 400.0 µmol L^?1 for dopamine in the presence of 500 µmol L^?1 ascorbic acid. The limits of detection were 0.13 for uric acid and 0.55 µmol L^?1 for dopamine. This functionalized electrode has potential application in bioanalysis and biomedicine.     

Synthesis of a Palladium-Graphene Material and Its Application for Formaldehyde Determination

A novel electrochemical sensor for formaldehyde determination was fabricated by using the Pd-graphene nanohybrides. Pd-graphene nanohybrids were prepared via a concise chemical reduction method. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for the characterization of structure and morphology of the nanohybrids. The result showed that Pd nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed and were well-separated on the graphene sheets. The Pd-graphene nanohybrids were dissolved in Nafion and modified on the glassy carbon electrode to fabricate the electrochemical sensor. This proposed electrochemical sensor performed excellent electrocatalytic activity toward formaldehyde oxidation in alkaline medium. The peak current was linearly related to the formaldehyde concentration in the range of 7.75 µM to 62.0 µM with the detection limit of 3.15 µM. The highly sensitive and robust graphene based Pd nanohybrids sensor offers a promising and practical tool for formaldehyde sensing and chemical analysis.     

Electrochemical sensor for ultrasensitive determination of ceftazidime using hollow platinum nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide/pencil graphite electrode

In this paper, an electrochemical sensor was prepared based on the modification of pencil graphite electrode (PGE) by hollow platinum nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide (HPtNPs/rGO/PGE) for determination of ceftazidime (CFZ). Initially, rGO was electrodeposited on the electrode surface, and then, hollow platinum nanoparticles were placed on the electrode surface via galvanic displacement reaction of Pt(IV) ions with cobalt nanoparticles (CoNPs) that had electrodeposited on the electrode surface. Several significant parameters controlling the performance of the HPtNPs/rGO/PGE were examined and optimized using central composite design as one optimization methodology. The surface morphology and elemental characterization of the bare PGE, rGO/PGE, CoNPs/rGO/PGE, and HPtNPs/rGO/PGE-modified electrodes was analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical activity of CFZ on resulting modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and adsorptive differential pulse voltammetry (AdDPV). Adsorptive differential pulse voltammetry indicates that peak current increases linearly with respect to increment in CFZ concentration. CFZ was determined in the linear dynamic range of 5.0 × 10^?13 to 1.0 × 10^?9 M, and the detection limit was determined as 2.2 × 10^?13 M using AdDPV under optimized conditions. The results showed that modified electrode has high selectivity and very high sensitivity. The method was used to determine of CFZ in drug injection and plasma samples.     

Electropolymerized Diphenylamine on Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composite Film and Its Application to Develop a Multifunctional Biosensor

Diphenylamine (DPA) monomers have been electropolymerized on the amino‐functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube (AFCNT) composite film modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The surface morphology of PDPA‐AFCNT was studied using field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM). The interfacial electron transfer phenomenon at the modified electrode was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The PDPA‐AFCNT/GCE represented a multifunctional sensor and showed good electrocatalytic behavior towards the oxidation of catechol and the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Rotating‐disk electrode technique was applied to detect catechol with a sensitivity of 1360 µA mM^?1 cm^?2 and a detection limit of 0.01 mM. Amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide at the PDPA‐AFCNT film modified electrode results in a linear range from 10 to 800 µM, a sensitivity of 487.1 µA mM^?1 cm^?2 and detection limit of 1 µM. These results show that the nano‐composite film modified electrode can be utilized to develop a multifunctional sensor.     

Electrochemical sensing and simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid,dopamine and uric acid at nickel nanoparticles/poly (1,2-diaminoanthraquinone) modified electrode

A highly sensitive sensor based on Ni nanoparticles/poly (1,2-diaminoanthraquinone) modified electrode was fabricated at glassy carbon (GC) electrode (Ni/PDAAQ@GC ME) using cyclic voltammetry technique. The incorporation of nickel (II) ions nanoparticles (Ni NPs) followed by anodic polarization process was achieved. Surface morphologies of both PDAAQ@GC ME and Ni/PDAAQ@GC MEs were studied by scanning electron microscope. Ni/PDAAQ@GC ME was tested for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) by square wave voltammetry technique. The ME showed excellent electrocatalytic activity toward electrooxidation of these biomolecules in their single, binary and ternary systems in alkaline 0.1 M NaOH solutions. Experiment revealed that the low detection limits (LOD) for AA, DA and UA were 0.11, 0.072 and 1.2 µM in single system, respectively, and 0.069, 0.29 and 0.12 µM in ternary system, respectively.     

Prussian Blue/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite for the Amperometric Determination of Dopamine and Hydrogen Peroxide

Prussian blue has significant application for the construction of electrochemical biosensors. In this work, Prussian blue-reduced graphene oxide modified glass carbon electrodes were successfully fabricated using electrochemical deposition. The high surface area of graphene oxide enhanced the deposition of Prussian blue and the resulting electrocatalytic activity. Infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that the relatively porous Prussian blue was on the surface of reduced graphene oxide. Cyclic voltammetry showed that Prussian blue-coated reduced graphene oxide composite films improved electron transfer compared to Prussian blue films. The Prussian blue-reduced graphene oxide composite film provided higher response for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and the oxidation of dopamine compared with the Prussian blue film due to synergistic effects between the reduced graphene oxide and Prussian blue particles. The sensitivity of the electrode was 0.1617 µA µM^?1 cm^?2. The linear dynamic range extended from 0.5 µM to 0.7 mM dopamine with a limit of detection equal to 125 nM. This work provided a versatile strategy for the design and construction of sensitive amperometric sensors with robust electrocatalytic behavior.     

Electrochemical Properties of Ag@iron Oxide Nanocomposite for Application as Nitrate Sensor

Ag@iron oxide nanocomposite powders were synthesized via a two‐step chemical method. Characterization by UV‐Vis, XRD, SEM‐EDX and TEM revealed they are composed of nanosized crystalline silver particles in strict contact with amorphous iron oxide(s). The electrochemical behavior of the synthesized Ag@iron oxide composite was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Compared with the single phase‐modified electrodes, the Ag@iron oxide/SPCE electrode exhibits an enhanced cathodic current in response to the target analyte, due to a synergistic effect between Ag crystallites and amorphous iron oxide nanoparticles. An amperometric sensor for detection of nitrate based on Ag@iron oxide modified screen‐printed electrode (Ag@iron oxide/SPCE) has been fabricated, showing a good sensitivity (663 µA mM^?1 cm^?2) and a detection limit of 30 µM.     

Nickel and Tungsten Bimetallic Nanoparticles Modified Pencil Graphite Electrode: A High-performance Electrochemical Sensor for Detection of Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol A

In this work, an economically viable, very low cost, indigenous, ubiquitously available electrochemical sensor based on bimetallic nickel and tungsten nanoparticles modified pencil graphite electrode (NiNP-WNP@PGE) was fabricated for the sensitive and selective detection of bisphenol A (BPA). The NiNP-WNP@PGE sensor was prepared by a facile electrochemical one step co-deposition method. The prepared nanocomposite was morphologically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The proposed sensor displayed high electrocatalytic activity towards electro-oxidation of BPA with one irreversible peak. The fabricated sensor displayed a wide detection window between 0.025 μM and 250 μM with a limit of detection of 0.012 μM. PGE sensor was successfully engaged for the detection of BPA in bottled water, biological, and baby glass samples.     

Self-assembled monolayers of organosulfur derivative on gold nanoparticles as electrochemical sensor for determination of isoprenaline

In this paper, the use of molecular self-assembled monolayers of 5-(1,3-dithiolan-2-eyl)-3-methyl banzen-1,2-diol (DMD) on gold nanoparticles was described (DMD-AuNPs). The redox properties of modified electrode at various scan rates were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. A pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks of DMD were obtained at the modified electrode. Dramatically enhanced electrocatalytic activity was exemplified at the DMD-AuNPs, as an electrochemical sensor to investigate the electro-oxidation of isoprenaline (IP). With this modified electrode, the oxidation potential of the IP was shifted about 235 mV toward a less positive potential value than that of an unmodified electrode. The values of electron transfer coefficients (α = 0.5), catalytic rate constant (ks = 9.2 s^?1) and diffusion coefficient (D = 8.9 × 10^?5 cm² s^?1) were calculated for IP. The response of catalytic current with IP concentration showed a linear relation in the range from 0.5 to 800 µM with a detection limit of 0.21 µM. Finally, this modified electrode was used for the determination of IP in IP injections.     

Electrochemical Detection of Persulfate at the Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode with Nanocomposite Containing Nano‐Ruthenium Oxide/Thionine and Nano‐Ruthenium Oxide/Celestine Blue

The present study describes the fabrication of a sensitive amperometric sensor for the determination of persulfate. The immobilization surface was prepared by modifying a glassy carbon (GC) electrode with a nanocomposite containing ruthenium oxide (RuOx) nanoparticles and thionine (TH) or celestin blue (CB). The modified electrodes indicated excellent electrocatalytic activity toward persulfate reduction at a potential of +0.1 V. The proposed sensor showed detection limits of 1.46 µM for the GC/RuOx/TH modified electrode and 2.64 µM for the GC/RuOx/CB modified electrode. The sensitivities were obtained as 3 nA µM^?1 at a concentration range of 10 µM to 11 mM for the GC/RuOx/TH modified electrode and 1 nA µM^?1 at a concentration range of 10 µM to 6 mM for the GC/RuOx/CB modified electrodes.     

Application of a sensitive nanocomposite-based electrochemical sensor for voltammetric determination of dicyclomine hydrochloride in real samples

In the present study a glassy carbon electrode, modified with nanocomposite of gold nanoparticles/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (GNPs/MWCNTs/GCE), was used for determination of dicyclomine hydrochloride (DcCl). The results showed that synergetic effects of GNPs and MWCNTs highly improved electrochemical response and sensitivity of the sensor. The electrochemical oxidation of DcCl was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Also, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were used to evaluate microstructure of electrochemical sensor. The effect of various experimental parameters including pH and scan rate on the voltammetric response of DcCl were investigated. Under the optimal conditions linear response was observed in range of 1.0–1.2 × 10² µmol L^?1 for DcCl. The lower detection limit was found to be 0.40 µmol L^?1 for DcCl. The investigated method showed good stability, reproducibility and repeatability. The proposed sensor was successfully applied to the determination of DcCl in real samples.     

A promising electrochemical sensing platform based on copper nanoparticles-decorated polymer in carbon nanotube electrode for monitoring methimazole

In this paper, a novel and convenient electrochemical sensor for detection of methimazole (MMI) by differential pulse voltammetry is presented. This sensor was fabricated by dripping well-dispersed MWCNTs onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface, and then poly-l-Arg (P-L-Arg) film was deposited on the electrode. Finally, Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs) were electrochemically deposited on the resulting film by using cyclic voltammetry to prepare CuNPs-P-L-Arg/MWCNTs/GCE. The surface morphology of the electrodes has been studied by scanning electron microscopy. Studies reveal that the irreversible oxidation of MMI was highly facile on CuNPs-P-L-Arg/MWCNTs/GCE. The dynamic detection range of this sensor to MMI was 5.2–50 µM, with the detection limit of 2 µM. A new voltammetric method for determination of MMI was erected and shows good sensitivity and selectivity, very easy surface update and good stability. The analytical application of the modified electrode is demonstrated by determining MMI in biological fluids (serum).     

Electrodeposition of silver nanoparticles on a zinc oxide film: improvement of amperometric sensing sensitivity and stability for hydrogen peroxide determination

A strategy to fabricate a hydrogen peroxide (HP) sensor is developed by electrodepositing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on a modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with a zinc oxide (ZnO) film. The Ag NPs/ZnO/GCE has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. It has been found that the Ag NPs synthesized in the presence of ZnO film provide an electrode with enhanced sensitivity and excellent stability. The sensitivity to HP is enhanced 3-fold by using Ag NPs/ZnO/GCE compared to Ag NPs/GCE. The HP sensor exhibits good linear behavior in the concentration range 2 µM to 5.5 mM for the quantitative analysis of HP with a detection limit of 0.42 µM (S/N?=?3).     

A Novel Non‐Enzymatic Glucose Sensor Based on Cobalt Nanoparticles Implantation‐Modified Indium Tin Oxide Electrode

A new type of cobalt nanoparticles modified indium tin oxide electrode (CoNPs/ITO) was fabricated using ion implantation technique. This method is low‐cost, facile and environmentally friendly without the use of any other chemicals. Electrochemical oxidation of glucose with this sensor was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry in alkaline aqueous solutions. The proposed sensor exhibited prominent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of glucose with a low limit of detection of 0.25 µM. Furthermore, the fabricated electrode showed excellent selectivity, good reproducibility and long‐term stability. Thus CoNPs/ITO electrode is a promising candidate in the development of non‐enzymatic glucose sensors.     

Determination of Oxytetracycline with a Gold Electrode Modified by Chitosan-Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Multilayer Films and Gold Nanoparticles

A molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor was fabricated based on a gold electrode modified by chitosan-multiwalled carbon nanotube composite (CS-MWCNTs) multilayer films and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for convenient and sensitive determination of oxytetracycline (OTC). The multilayer of CS-MWCNTs composites and AuNPs were used to augment electronic transmission and sensitivity. The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized using OTC as the template molecule and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) as the functional monomer. They were modified on a gold electrode by electropolymerization. The electrochemical behavior of OTC at the imprinted sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and amperometry. The molecularly imprinted sensor showed high selectivity and excellent stability toward OTC. The linear range was from 3.0 × 10^?8 to 8.0 × 10^?5 mol/L, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.7 × 10^?8 mol/L (S/N = 3). The developed sensor showed good recovery in spiked samples analysis.     

Design of a New Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with TiO2 Nanoparticles to Use in an Electrochemical Study of Codeine and Simultaneous Determination of Codeine and Acetaminophen in Human Plasma Serum Samples

A new electrochemical sensor was fabricated via TiO₂ nanoparticles onto a carbon paste electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) studied the response of the modified electrode toward codeine. The effects of pH, modifier amount, pulse amplitude, and scan rate of potential have been examined. Using DPV, we could measure simultaneously codeine and acetaminophen in one mixture. The detection limits of 0.018 and 0.050 µmol L^?1 were achieved for codeine and acetaminophen, respectively. The electrooxidation pathway, transfer coefficient, and standard rate constant, are estimated. The proposed voltammetric sensor was successfully applied to determination of codeine and acetaminophen in human plasma serum samples.     

Pencil Lead Electrode Modified with Hemoglobin Film as a Novel Biosensor for Nitrite Determination

In the present paper, the electrochemical reduction of nitrite at a hemoglobin modified pencil lead electrode (Hb/PLE) is described. The electrochemical properties of nitrite were studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Results showed that the hemoglobin film has an excellent electrochemical activity towards the reduction of nitrite. By using voltammetric and chronoamperometric methods, α, n_α and n were calculated. Then the ability of the electrode for nitrite determination was investigated using differential pulse voltammetry. The electrocatalytic reduction peak currents were found to be linear with the nitrite concentration in the range from 10 to 220 µM with a detection limit of 5 µM. The relative standard deviation is 2 % for 3 successive determinations of a 100 µM nitrite solution. This modified electrode was successfully used for the detection of low amounts of NO₂^? in spinach sample and a spiked sample of tap water.     

Sensitive and Rapid Flow Injection Amperometric Hydrazine Sensor using an Electrodeposited Gold Nanoparticle Graphite Pencil Electrode

A gold (Au) nanoparticle-modified graphite pencil electrode was prepared by an electrodeposition procedure for the sensitive and rapid flow injection amperometric determination of hydrazine (N₂H₄). The electrodeposited Au nanoparticles on the pretreated graphite pencil electrode surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammograms showed that the Au nanoparticle-modified pretreated graphite pencil electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward oxidation of hydrazine because the highly irreversibly and broadly observed oxidation peak at +600?mV at the pretreated graphite pencil electrode shifted to ?167?mV at the Au nanoparticle pretreated graphite pencil electrode; in addition, a significant enhancement in the oxidation peak current was obtained. Thus, the flow-injection (FI) amperometric hydrazine sensor was constructed based on its electrocatalytic oxidation at the Au nanoparticle-modified pretreated graphite pencil electrode. The Au nanoparticle-modified pretreated graphite pencil electrode exhibits a linear calibration curve between the flow injection amperometric current and hydrazine concentration within the concentration range from 0.01 to 100?µM with a detection limit of 0.002?µM. The flow injection amperometric sensor has been successfully used for the determination of N₂H₄ in water samples with good accuracy and precision.