An efficient electrochemical sensor for nitrite based on a mesoporous nickel cobaltite-reduced graphene oxide (NiCo-RGO) nanocomposite

Abstract

ABSTRACT A simple protocol for the preparation of nickel–cobaltite and graphene–nickel–cobaltite composites is described in this paper. Nickel–cobaltite-reduced graphene oxide (NiCo-RGO) nanoparticles are produced by self-combustion of urea–nitrate complexant. Graphene, as expected, inhibits the nanoparticles from clumping together. The production of complex during synthesis is confirmed by electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses of the composites. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to investigate the electrocatalytic oxidation of nitrite on a (NiCo-RGO) graphite electrode. The DPV approach demonstrated a linear range of 60–860 μM, with detection limits of 18.0 μM. For nitrite determination, the method’s sensitivity was around 0.06767 μA μM−1 cm−2. Interference, stability, and repeatability were also checked on the sensor. DPV techniques were utilised to examine nitrite levels in soil and juice samples.