Characterization of carbon nanotubes decorated with NiFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles as a novel electrochemical sensor: Application for highly selective determination of sotalol using voltammetry

Abstract

A magnetic nano‐composite of multiwall carbon nanotube, decorated with NiFe2O4 nanoparticles, was synthesized with citrate sol–gel method. The multiwall carbon nanotubes decorated with NiFe2O4 nanoparticles (NiFe2O4–MWCNTs) were characterized with different methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The new nano-composite acts as a suitable electrocatalyst for the oxidation of sotalol at a potential of 500mV at the surface of the modified electrode. Linear sweep voltammetry exhibited two wide linear dynamic ranges of 0.5–1000μmolL−1 sotalol with a detection limit of 0.09μmolL−1. The modified electrode was used as a novel electrochemical sensor for the determination of sotalol in real samples such as pharmaceutical, patient and safe human urine.