Effects of nickel–cobalt material properties on glucose catalysis

Abstract

The development of non-enzymatic glucose sensors becomes even more significant as the number of diabetics worldwide continues to increase. Ni–Co alloy can be fabricated by electrodeposition and used as a catalyst for glucose so that it is a suitable electrode material for non-enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensors. The results of material analyses reveal that the catalytic performance for glucose is related to the crystallographic structure of Ni–Co alloy. A Ni–Co based non-enzymatic glucose sensor with a majority of hexagonal close packed (hcp) lattice exhibits better catalytic performance and, moreover, the catalysis of glucose is a quasi-reversible redox process, either in film-type or nanowire-type alloy. However, the nanowire-type Ni–Co glucose sensor has a wider sensing range than the film-type sensor. Ni–Co glucose sensor possesses excellent anti-interference without being influenced by the chemicals coexisting with glucose. These results demonstrate the effect of the crystal structure of Ni–Co on glucose catalysis and suggest the electroplating conditions for the preparation of Ni–Co non-enzymatic glucose sensor with good catalytic performance and excellent anti-interference ability.