A novel hierarchical 3D N-Co-CNT@NG nanocomposite electrode for non-enzymatic glucose and hydrogen peroxide sensing applications.

A novel 3D nanocomposite of nitrogen doped Co-CNTs over graphene sheets (3D N-Co-CNT@NG) have been successfully fabricated via a simple, scalable and one-step thermal decomposition method. This 3D hierarchical nanostructure provides an admirable conductive network for effective charge transfer and avoids the agglomeration of NG matrices, which examine direct as well as non-enzymatic responses to glucose oxidation and H2O2 reduction at a low potential. The novel electrode showed excellent electrochemical performance towards glucose oxidation, with high sensitivity of 9.05μAcm-2mM-1, a wide linear range from 0.025 to 10.83mM, and a detection limit of 100nM with a fast response time of less than 3s. Furthermore, non-enzymatic H2O2 sensors based on the 3D N-Co-CNT@NG electrode exhibited high sensitivity (28.66μAmM-1cm-2), wide linear range (2.0-7449μM), low detection limit of 2.0μM (S/N=3), excellent selectivity, decent reproducibility and long term stability. Such outstanding electrochemical performance can be endorsed to the large electroactive surface area, unique porous architecture, highly conductive networks, and synergistic interaction between N-Co-CNTs and nitrogen doped graphene (NG) in the novel 3D nanocomposite. This facile, cost-effective, sensitive, and selective glucose as well as H2O2 sensors are also proven to be appropriate for the detection of glucose as well as H2O2 in human serum.