Electrochemical deposition of CoNi micro/nanostructures as new materials for electrochemical sensing of glucose

Abstract

CoNi micro/nanostructures (films and nanowires of different properties) have been synthesised, through a facile and low cost method, as catalysts for glucose electro-oxidation, being promising material for non-enzymatic glucose sensors. The synthesis is a one-step procedure able to prepare, from a single solution, films or nanorods with different composition, shape and morphology. The electrocatalytic activity of the CoNi films and glassy carbon/CoNi nanorods for the glucose oxidation in basic medium has been investigated. The glucose oxidation current is clearly detected over the oxidized alloy. Voltamperometry and chronoamperometry techniques allow sensing the glucose over the CoNi structures prepared. The best catalysts are the films synthesised at -1.0 V and the nanorods at -0.8 V, which moreover minimizes the amount of sensing material.