A photoelectrochemical sensor for highly sensitive detection of glucose based on Au–NiO1–x hybrid nanowires

Abstract

In this research, the Au–NiO1–x (0<x<1) hybrid nanowire arrays were constructed by a simple electrodeposition method to develop a novel plasmon-aided photoelectrochemical glucose sensor. The hybrid nanostructure has NiO1–x nanowires as the main matrix. Au nanoparticles with diameter of about 20 nm are incorporated into the NiO1–x. The unique structure and the generated plasmons on the Au surface improve the electron transfer in the nanowire arrays, providing excellent mass transport for the glucose oxidization. This glucose sensor exhibits an ultrahigh sensitivity of 4.061 mA cm–2 mM–1, low detection limit and a wide level of glucose concentration in the detection range of 0.005–15 mM. Our investigation indicates that the synergistic catalytic of Au and NiO1–x as well as the plasmonic effect of Au nanoparticles are responsible for this outstanding performance. Such results offer an effective method to guide the exploration of metal-semiconductor heterojunctions for surface plasmon-aided photoelectrocatalysis.