Integrating Cu/CuxO ternary nanocomposites with multi-walled carbon nanotubes enabling a high-performance nonenzymatic amperometric glucose sensor

Abstract

We developed a new nonenzymatic amperometric glucose sensor by integrating a ternary nanocomposite, Cu/Cu2O/CuO (Cu/CuxO), with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (Cu/CuxO@MWCNTs) as the electrocatalyst. The Cu/CuxO@MWCNTs nanocomposite is prepared via an electroless plating process followed by thermal treatment. The constructed nanocomposites are systematically characterized with a transmission electron microscope, an X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. The Cu/CuxO@MWCNTs nanocomposites-modified glassy carbon electrodes exhibit high electrocatalytic activity toward glucose electrooxidation under alkaline conditions. The efficient electrocatalytic activity of Cu/CuxO@MWCNTs for glucose electrooxidation is utilized for glucose detection using Cu/CuxO@MWCNTs-modified glassy carbon electrodes. The Cu/CuxO@MWCNTs-modified electrode displays an excellent sensing performance within a wide analyte concentration from 0.005-6,000 M (low detection limit is calculated to be 0.003 μM) with superior stability, selectivity, repeatability, and reproductivity. This as-prepared electrochemical sensor is successfully applied to selective glucose detection with satisfactory results.