Nitrogen-rich core-shell structured particles consisting of carbonized zeolitic imidazolate frameworks and reduced graphene oxide for amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Core-shell structured particles were prepared from carbonized zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The particles possess a nitrogen content ofup to 10.6%. The loss of nitrogen from the ZIF is avoided by utilizing the reduction and agglomeration of graphene oxide with suitable size (>2μm) during pyrolysis. The resulting carbonized ZIF@rGO particles were deposited on a glassy carbon electrode to give an amperometric sensor for H2O2, typically operated at a voltage of -0.4V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The sensor has a wide detection range (from 5 × 10-6 to 2 × 10-2M), a 3.3 μM (S/N = 3) detection limit and a 0.272μA·μM-1·cm-2 sensitivity, much higher than that of directly carbonized ZIFs. The sensor material was also deposited on a screen-printed electrode to explore the possibility of application. Graphical abstract Nitrogen doped carbon (NC) derived from carbonized zeolitic imidazolate frameworks is limited because of low nitrogen content. Here, nitrogen-rich NC@reduced graphene oxide (rGO) core-shell structured particles are described. The NC@rGO particlesshow distinctly better H2O2 detection performance than NC.