An electrochemical sensor modified with nickel nanoparticle/nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet nanocomposite for bisphenol A detection

Abstract

Three-dimensional hierarchical cylinder-like nickel nanoparticle/nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheet/chitosan nanocomposite (NiNP/NCN/CS) is used for the modification of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to construct an electrochemical sensor for bisphenol A (BPA) detection. The NiNP/NCN nanocomposite is synthesized by one-step pyrolysis of nickel-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylicacid metal-organic frameworks under nitrogen atmosphere, and is demonstrated to have large specific surface area, good electrical conductivity, strong electrocatalytic activity, and high antifouling ability, which result in high sensitivity and improved reproducibility for BPA detection. In addition, the high antifouling behavior of the NiNPs/NCN/CS/GCE towards BPA is demonstrated to very likely originate from the formation of electroactive o-benzoquinone and p-benzoquinone as byproducts during the electro-oxidation of BPA. For the BPA sensor, two linear differential pulse voltammogram responses can be obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.1–2.5 μM and 2.5–15.0 μM. The detection limit for BPA detection is estimated to be 45 nM (S/N = 3). Additionally, the BPA sensor has strong anti-interference ability and good stability, and can be eventually employed to detect BPA in milk samples.