Mesoporous WO3‐Dot‐Decorated Flexible Electrodes for the Determination of Industrial Pollutants

Abstract

This study demonstrates the fabrication of mesoporous tungsten trioxide (WO3)‐decorated flexible polyimide (PI) electrodes for the highly sensitive detection of catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ), two environmental pollutants. Organic–inorganic composite dots are formed on flexible PI electrodes using evaporation‐induced self‐assembly (EISA) and electrospray methods. The EISA process is induced by a temperature gradient during electrospray, and the heated substrate partially decomposes the organic parts etched by O2 plasma, creating mesoporous structures. Differential pulse voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry demonstrate a linear correlation between analyte concentration and the electrochemical response. Computational studies support the spontaneous adsorption of CC and HQ molecules on model WO3 surfaces. The proposed sensor shows high sensitivity, a wide linear range, and a low detection limit for both individual and simultaneous determination of CC and HQ. Real sample analysis on river water confirms practical applicability. The WO3‐decorated PI electrode presents an efficient and reliable approach for detecting these pollutants, contributing to environmental safety measures.