Copper oxide nanoparticles and ionic liquid modified carbon electrode for the non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide

The direct electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium at a carbon ionic liquid electrode modified with copper oxide nanoparticles was investigated. The electrode was prepared by mixing graphite particles, ionic liquid (n-octylpyridium hexafluorophosphate) and copper oxide nanoparticles. Unlike the film-modified electrode, the fabrication of this electrode is simple and highly reproducible. The combination of the good conductivity of the ionic liquid and the high catalytic activity of the nanoparticles resulted in an electrode with attractive properties for the determination of hydrogen peroxide. The concentration of NaOH and the loading of copper oxide nanoparticles were optimized. The linear range for the determination of hydrogen peroxide is from 1.0 μM to 2.5 mM, the detection limit is 0.5 μM. High stability, sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility, fast response, the ease of preparation, and surface renewal made the electrode well suitable for the determination of hydrogen peroxide in real samples.