Porous carbon-NiO nanocomposites for amperometric detection of hydrazine and hydrogen peroxide.

A hydrothermal route is reported for the preparation of a composite consisting of sheet-like glucose-derived carbon and nickel oxide nanoparticles. The nanocomposites were prepared at different annealing temperatures and exploited as electrode materials for amperometric (i-t) determination of hydrazine (N2H4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at trace levels. The performances of the sensors were assessed by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry detection using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique. The modified electrode annealed at ca. 300 °C was found to exhibit the best electrocatalytic performance in terms of sensitive and selective detection of N2H4 and H2O2 even in the presence of interfering species. The electrode is inexpensive, robust, easy to prepare in large batches, highly stable, and has a low overpotential. H2O2 can be sensed, best at a working voltage of typically 0.13 V vs Ag/AgCl; rotationg speed 1200 rpm) over a wide concentration range (0.01 to 3.9 µM) with a detection limit of 1.5 nM. N2H4 can be sensed, best at a working voltage of typically 0.0 V within the concentration range from 0.5 μM to 12 mM with an excellent detection limit of 1.5 µM. Thus, this cost-effective and robust modified electrode, which may be readily prepared in large batch quantity, represents a practical platform for industrial sensing. Graphical abstract Schematic of the hydrothermal method for synthesis of carbon and nickel oxide nanoparticle composites (GCD/NiO-150, GCD/NiO-300, and GCD/NiO-450). The composite was used for the electro-oxidation of hydrazine (N2H4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry (i-t).