The electroanalytical detection of hydrazine: a comparison of the use of palladium nanoparticles supported on boron-doped diamond and palladium plated BDD microdisc array.

We show that both a random distribution of palladium nanoparticles supported on a BDD electrode or a palladium plated BDD microelectrode array can each provide a sensing platform for the electrocatalytic detection of hydrazine. The palladium nanoparticle modified electrode displays a sensitivity and limit of detection of 60 mA mol(-1) L and 2.6 microM respectively while the array has a sensitivity of 8 mA mol(-1) L with a detection limit of 1.8 microM. The beneficial cost implications of using palladium nano- or micro-particles in sensors compared to a palladium macroelectrode are evident. Interestingly the array of the nanoparticles shows similar sensitivity and limit of detection to the microelectrode array which probably indicates that the random distribution of the former leads to 'clumps' of nanoparticles that effectively act as microelectrodes.