Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensing Using Carbon Quantum Dots Decorated with Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Glucose homeostasis is critical for health; hyperglycemia, characteristic of diabetes, leads to severe complications.
• Accurate, low-cost blood glucose detection is vital for diabetes diagnosis and therapy but remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel electrochemical sensor for non-enzymatic glucose detection.
• To utilize carbon quantum dots decorated with copper oxide nanostructures (CQDs/Cu₂O) for enhanced glucose sensing.

Main Methods:

• CQDs/Cu₂O nanostructures were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method.
• Electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensing was performed in alkaline solutions.
• Sensor performance was characterized by sensitivity, detection limit, and concentration range.

Main Results:

• The CQDs/Cu₂O sensor demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation.
• Achieved a wide detection range (6 µM to 6 mM) with high sensitivity (2.9 ± 0.2 µA·µM⁻¹·cm⁻²).
• A low detection limit of 6 µM (S/N = 3) was obtained, and the sensor performed well in human serum samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed CQDs/Cu₂O-based sensor provides a promising platform for accurate and cost-effective glucose determination.
• The sensor meets the demands for complex sample analysis, showing potential for therapeutic diagnostics in diabetes management.