Multifunctional integrated electrochemical sensing platform based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles decorated single-wall carbon nanotubes network for sensitive determination of gallic acid

Abstract

An efficient ultrasonic-assisted one-pot strategy was applied to prepare the multifunctional nanocomposite of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). To achieve the sensitive detection of gallic acid (GA), the SWCNT@MSNs/GCE sensor could be fabricated by using the above nanocomposite as electrode sensitizer. For the SWCNT@MSNs nanocomposite, SWCNT with one-dimensional hollow nanostructure could form three-dimensional reinforced carbon conductive network with excellent conductivity property, high specific area, efficient charge transport channels; MSNs with mesoporous structure and large active surface area presented obvious spherical morphology and uniform particle size dispersion, which effectively boosted the accumulation capability of GA on the SWCNT@MSNs/GCE sensor. Moreover, SWCNT with excellent conductivity property could greatly remedy the non-conductivity of MSNs. The synergistic combination of SWCNT and MSNs optimized the electrochemical property of SWCNT@MSNs/GCE sensor for the detection of GA. The SWCNT@MSNs/GCE sensor exhibited good GA electrochemical detection performance (pH = 2.0, linear GA concentration: 0.03–30 μM, limit of detection: 3.806 nM). The relatively low relative standard deviation values can be achieved for the reproducibility, reproducibility and anti-interference measurements. When applied for the detection of GA amount in real tea samples, the satisfactory recoveries of 97.14–101.2% and RSD values of 1.05–4.40 could be obtained at the SWCNT@MSNs/GCE sensor.