Sustainable electrochemical sensor with enhanced catalytic activity utilizing interconnected Ag-MWNT nanocomposites on carbonized bamboo substrate

Abstract

Environmentally friendly and low-cost electrochemical sensors that utilize biomass materials are becoming crucial and bearing substantial significance in the pursuit of carbon neutrality strategies. Bamboos are promising biomass substrate materials for sensors due to their high surface area excellent chemical stability, and the presence of oxygen surface functional groups, facilitating combining with nano composites. In this study, novel bn-Ag@MWNT/CBC electrochemical sensor based on sustainable biomass bamboo chip (PP) substrate is proposed for formaldehyde (HCHO) detection. The designed bn-Ag@MWNT/CBC sensors present well combination of bamboo substrates with nano Ag and carbon nanomaterials (MWNTs) while reducing costs. Profited from the synergistic effect between nano Ag and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the carbonized bamboo substrates, electrochemical measurements indicate that bn-Ag@MWNT/CBC presents prominent catalytic activity for HCHO, especially in low concentration. The bn-Ag@MWNT/CBC exhibits high sensitivity as 3143.7 μA mM−1cm−2, super linearity in the range of 0–9 mmol/L and its limit of detection reaches as low as 0.241 mM. Further, the bn-Ag@MWNT/CBC shows excellent selectivity, reproducibility (RSD = 1.57%) and good long-term stability. The bn-Ag@MWNT/CBC should be promising candidates for cost effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly electrochemical sensor.