SnO2Quantum Dots-Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite for Enzyme-Free Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of Urea

Abstract

Most of the urea sensors are biosensors and utilize urease, which limit their use in harsh environments. Recently, because of their exceptional ability to endorse faster electron transfer, carbonaceous material composites and quantum dots are being used for fabrication of a sensitive transducer surface for urea biosensors. We demonstrate an enzyme free ultrasensitive urea sensor fabricated using a SnO2 quantum dots (QDs)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite. Due to the synergistic effect of the constituents, the SnO2 QDs/RGO (SRGO) composite proved to be an excellent probe for electrochemical sensing. The morphology and structure of the composite was characterized by various techniques, and it was observed that SnO2 QDs are decorated on RGO layers. Electrochemical studies were performed to evaluate the characteristics of the sensor toward detection of urea. Amperometry studies show that the SRGO/GCE electrode is sensitive to urea in the concentration range of 1.6 × 10(-14)-3.9 × 10(-12) M, with a detection limit of as low as 11.7 fM. However, this is an indirect measurement for urea wherein the analytical signal is recorded as a decrease in the amperommetric and/or voltammetric current from the solution redox species ferrocyanide. The porous structure of the SRGO matrix offers a very low transport barrier and thus promotes rapid diffusion of the ionic species from the solution to the electrode, leading to a rapid response time (∼5 s) and ultrahigh sensitivity (1.38 μA/fM). Good analytical performance in the presence of interfering agents, low cost, and easy synthesis methodology suggest that SRGO can be quite promising as an electroactive material for effective urea sensing.