Glucose sensor based on porous Ni by using a graphene bottom layer combined with a Ni middle layer

Abstract

Porous nickel (pNi) was prepared by a hydrogen bubble template method by using a graphene bottom layer combined with a Ni middle layer on Cu foil substrate. The crystal structure and the pore size of the pNi were characterized by XRD and SEM, respectively. The TEM, SAED and XPS exhibited that the pNi and graphene as well as the Ni(OH)2 with high activity were formed on the surface. The glucose sensing performance in alkaline environments was estimated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The pNi as-prepared exhibits a high sensitivity of 6161μA/mM−1cm−2 within a linear range of 0.0005–1.0 mM, which is much better than that of pNi on Cu foil. The large quantities of active site supplied by the pNi with pore size as low as 1–15 μm as well as the high electron transfer ability between electrode and active reaction center induced by the graphene play important roles in obtaining the pNi as-prepared with high sensitivity and a broad linear range. It provides a new idea for the development of non-enzymatic glucose sensor especially based on porous Ni with graphene bottom layer and Ni middle layer.