High-sensitivity ascorbic acid sensor using graphene sheet/graphene nanoribbon hybrid material as an enhanced electrochemical sensing platform.

A novel electrode material of graphene sheet/graphene nanoribbon (GS/GNR) hybrid material was developed by incorporating graphene nanoribbons into graphene nanosheets through simultaneous chemical reduction of graphene oxide sheets and graphene oxide ribbons. The structure and properties of synthesized GS/GNR were characterized by transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer Emmett Teller measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This work compares the electro catalytic performance of the GS/GNR, chemically reduced graphene oxide sheets (CRGOS) and GS/carbon nanotube (CNT) by modifying the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using ascorbic acid (AA) as analyte. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the charge transfer resistance of GS/GNR modified electrode was less than that of CRGOS modified electrode and bare GCE. The cyclic voltammetric sensing of GS/GNR modified electrode towards AA was negatively shifted (0.08 V) compared to CRGOS, GS/CNT modified electrode and bare GCE (0.222, 0.150 and 0.666 V). This catalytic oxidation allows an amperometric detection of AA with a detection limit of 230 nM and sensitivity of 22 nA μM(-1) cm(-2). GS/GNR modified GCE exhibited a high selectivity for ascorbic acid in the presence of other interferents like dopamine, uric acid and citric acid.