A simple and an efficient strategy to synthesize multi-component nanocomposites for biosensor applications

Abstract

We demonstrate that core–shell multi-component nanocomposites can be grown in situ at room temperature by a novel one-step approach without adding any reductant and stabilizer. We have presented a one-step method for the synthesis of multi-component nanocomposites in water solution, the multi-component nanocomposites could be produced directly and quickly in an in situ wet-chemical reaction. Here, Au–polypyrrole (PPy)/Prussian blue (PB) nanocomposites have been synthesized successfully under the same circumstance. With the addition of pyrrole monomers into mixture solutions, the autopolymerization of pyrrole into PPy and AuCl 4 − was reduced to elemental Au instantaneously as well as simultaneously. At the same time, PB produced along with elemental Au serving as a catalyst. Furthermore, we investigated the performance of Au–PPy/PB nanocomposites as amperometric sensor toward the reduction of H 2O 2, which displayed high sensitivity, fast response and good stability. The peak current of H 2O 2 increased linearly with the concentration of H 2O 2 in the range from 2.5 × 10 −9 to 1.2 × 10 −6 M, and the low detection limit of 8.3 × 10 −10 M (S/N = 3) was obtained. Therefore, this work provides a new pathway to design and fabricate novel multi-component nanocomposites, which have unique characteristics and hold great applications in the fields of sensors, electrocatalysis and others.