Facile synthesis of graphene oxide–silver nanocomposite and its modified electrode for enhanced electrochemical detection of nitrite ions

Abstract

In this report, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were successfully deposited on graphene oxide (GO) sheets to form GO–Ag nanocomposite using garlic extract and sunlight and the nanocomposite modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode was applied as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of nitrite ions. The formation of GO–Ag nanocomposite was confirmed by using UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, TEM, XRD and FTIR spectroscopy analyses. Further, TEM pictures showed a uniform distribution Ag on GO sheets with an average size of 19nm. The nanocomposite modified electrode produced synergistic catalytic current in nitrite oxidation with a negative shift in overpotential. The limit of detection (LOD) values were found as 2.1µM and 37nM, respectively using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and amperometric i–t curve techniques. The proposed sensor was stable, reproducible, sensitive and selective toward the detection nitrite and could be applied for the detection of nitrite in real water sample.