A hybrid material composed of reduced graphene oxide and porous carbon prepared by carbonization of a zeolitic imidazolate framework (type ZIF-8) for voltammetric determination of chloramphenicol.

Porous carbon was prepared from a zeolitic imidazolate framework (type ZIF-8) by carbonization at 800 °C (Z-800). A hybrid material was then obtained by direct co-electrodeposition of Z-800 with graphene oxide (Z-800/rGO). Z-800 is N-doped with good electrical conductivity and displays electrocatalytic activity. Z-800 readily undergoes mass transfer and also prevents graphene to agglomerate during electroanalysis. The hybrid was placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to obtain an electrochemical sensor for chloramphenicol (CAP) detection. Under the optimized conditions, the response of the modified GCE (typically measured at a low potential of -0.07 V vs. Ag/AgCl) is linear in the 1 to 180 μM CAP concentration range with a 0.25 μM detection limit (S/N = 3). In our preception, the method has a wide scope in that it may be applied to the preparation of various kinds of other (doped) porous carbon/rGO composites for use in (bio)chemical sensors. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of the preparation process of the materials and the electrochemical detection of chloramphenicol.