Electrochemical investigation of a glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotubes decorated with (poly)crystalline gold

Abstract

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes with nanosized sputtered gold were used to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The substrate was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. SEM micrographs indicated an uniform coverage of the carbon nanotubes with nanosized (poly)crystalline gold. Cyclic voltammetry reveals that peak separation of the unmodified GCE in the presence of 1 mM ferricyanide is 131 mV, but 60 mV only for the modified GCE. In addition, the oxidation of NADH (1 mmol L−1 solution) begins at negative potentials (around −100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl), and the anodic peak potential (corresponding to the irreversible oxidation of NADH) is found at +94 mV. The effect of pH on the electrocatalytic activity was studied in the range from 5.4 to 8.0. The relationship between the anodic peak potential and the pH indicated a variation of −33.5 mV/pH which is in agreement with a two-electron and one-proton reaction mechanism. Amperometry, performed at either −50 or +50 mV vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode, indicates that the modified electrode is a viable amperometric sensor for NADH. At a working potential of +50 mV, the response to NADH is linear in the concentration range from 1 to 100 μmol L−1, with an RSD of 6% (n = 4).