Carbon nanotube hollow polyhedrons derived from ZIF-8@ZIF-67 coupled to electro-deposited gold nanoparticles for voltammetric determination of acetaminophen.

A comparative study was carried out on the electrochemical behavior of three carbonized zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) synthesized through solvothermal pyrolysis. An electrochemical sensor for acetaminophen (ACT) was subsequently developed. The sensor was made by coating the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with cobalt-nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotube hollow polyhedron (Co-NCNHP), which was prepared from core shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67, before electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles. Due to the high specific surface area, good electrical conductivity and stability of both Co-NCNHP and the gold nanoparticles, the resultant sensor displayed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards ACT with the catalytic rate constant Kcat of 4.9 × 105 M-1 s-1, diffusion coefficient D of 1.8 × 10-6 cm2 s-1, high sensitivity of 1.75 μA μM-1 cm-2, and best at a working voltage of 0.35 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Benefitting from the synergistic effect of both Co-NCNHP and gold nanoparticles, the modified GCE had a linear response in the 0.1 μM-250 μM ACT and detection limit of 0.05 μM (at S/N = 3). The sensor was successfully applied to quantify ACT in tablets and spiked urine samples with recoveries ranged between 96.0% and 105.2%. Graphical abstractSchematic representation of cobalt-nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotube hollow polyhedrons (Co-NCNHP) exhibiting superior electrocatalytic activity to carbonized ZIF-8 and carbonized ZIF-67. Co-NCNHP were coupled to electrodeposition gold nanoparticles to modify glassy carbon electrode for improving acetaminophen (ACT) redox.