An electrochemical sensor based on multiferroic NdFeO3 particles modified electrode for the detection of H2O2

Abstract

The high dielectric constant and lower dielectric loss make NdFeO 3 materials ideal for potential use in many several applications. Specifically, NdFeO 3 is a promising candidate for electrochemical sensing applications owing to its high thermal stability, and non-toxicity. In this present study, multiferroic NdFeO 3 particles are synthesized using a solid-state reaction at a higher temperature. Structural studies confirm that NdFeO 3 crystallizes in an orthorhombic symmetry. Elemental color mapping of the NdFeO 3 sample reveals there is no impurity, and that the sample comprises Nd, Fe, and O elements. In addition, the Nyquist plot suggests the contribution of grain and grain boundary effect towards the resistive and capacitive characteristics of NdFeO 3 . Magnetic measurements at room temperature indicated an antiferromagnetic nature of the sample with a weak ferromagnetic component arising due to the canted nature of Fe 3+ . The non-collinear magnetic structure of NdFeO 3 promotes the ferroelectric loop. Single-phase room temperature NdFeO 3 multiferroics were coated upon the glassy carbon electrode with the aim of sensing hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) using a three-electrode electrochemical setup. The cyclic voltammetry technique showed an increase in the peak current with an upsurge in the concentration of H 2 O 2 between 1 mM and 10 mM. The limit of detection, the limit of quantification, and sensitivity was calculated to be 0.87 µM, 2.92 µM, and 52.6 µA mM −1 cm −2 respectively. The correlation coefficient R 2 was found to be 0.9792. The value of linearity with regression coefficient was calculated to be R 2 = 0.9922 from the effect of scan rate. NdFeO 3 showed an excellent selectivity towards H 2 O 2 in the presence of H 2 SO 4 , KCl, HCl, and NaOH, and good sensitivity for monitoring H 2 O 2 in a real milk sample. The sensitivity of modified Glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in milk was calculated to be 46.58 µA mM −1 cm −2 . • Solid state reaction of single phase multiferroic particles NdFeO 3 . • Extensive studies of electrical, impedance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. • Weak ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic with weak ferromagnetic behavior are observed. • Electrochemical sensing of the hydrogen peroxide in real milk samples.