One pot synthesis of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres with improved electrocatalytic properties for sensitive H2O2 sensing in human serum

Abstract

N-doped hollow carbon spheres (N-HCS) have been proved as efficient electrical catalytic materials with outstanding oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) ability. However, conventional approaches for the synthesis of N-HCS always involved multistep procedures. In this paper, by appropriately controlling the polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and resorcinol/formaldehyde (RF), N-HCS have been synthesized through “one pot” method without use of surfactant. Next, the ORR and OER of N-HCS were conducted to examine its electrocatalytic ability. Finally, it was modified on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as an improved electrical catalyst to monitor H2O2 in human serum samples. The linear ranges for monitoring H2O2 were from 0.05 mM to 29.5 mM and from 29.5 mM to 47.5 mM with a limit of detection of 0.02 mM. The recoveries for the assays in human serums were between 92.5% and 107.4%. Therefore, we believe that this newly synthesized N-HCS will play a significant role in the synthesis and application of electrocatalytic materials and the development of novel electrochemical sensors.