Recent advances in graphene oxide-based electrochemical sensors

Abstract

Graphene oxide-based nanomaterials are garnering significant attention from various fields due to their unique physical and chemical properties, which make them attractive for myriad applications. This feature article stems from Dr. Aicheng Chen’s Lecture for the 2023 Ricardo Aroca Award of the Canadian Society for Chemistry and focuses primarily on the synthesis and applications of graphene oxide-based nanomaterials for electrochemical sensing. Graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide, and functionalized and doped GO-based nanomaterials are emerging as promising enablers of broad applications in electrochemical sensors. This is due to their distinctive functional groups and novel properties, which include high electrical conductivities, large surface areas, and enhanced catalytic activities. Several strategies for the synthesis of these nanomaterials are described in this feature article, encompassing the modified Hummers method, electrochemical, thermal, and microwave reactor methods. The characterization of these GO-based nanomaterials is highlighted, employing techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study their morphologies, structures, and chemical compositions. The development of GO-based electrochemical sensors and their pharmaceutical, medical, environmental, and food safety applications are discussed. Further, the effects of these GO-based nanomaterials and different electrochemical techniques (e.g., cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry) on the performance of various electrochemical sensors are addressed.