Size Controlled Copper (I) Oxide Nanoparticles Influence Sensitivity of Glucose Biosensor

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Copper (I) oxide (Cu₂O) is a promising semiconducting material with applications in photovoltaics and biosensing.
• Controlling the size and shape of Cu₂O nanostructures is crucial for optimizing their performance.
• Nanostructured Cu₂O offers a large surface area for applications like biosensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To electrodeposit Cu₂O nanoparticles with controlled sizes.
• To investigate the use of ethylenediamine (EDA) as a size-controlling agent.
• To fabricate and evaluate a glucose biosensor based on Cu₂O nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Electrodeposition of Cu₂O nanoparticles with varying concentrations of EDA.
• Characterization using UV-Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
• Fabrication of an enzymatic glucose biosensor by immobilizing glucose oxidase onto Cu₂O nanoparticles.

Main Results:

• Successfully controlled the size of Cu₂O nanoparticles from 54.09 nm to 966.97 nm by adjusting EDA concentration.
• The fabricated glucose biosensor demonstrated a fast response time of less than 2 seconds.
• Achieved a limit of detection of 0.1 μM and a sensitivity of 1.54 mA/cm².mM for glucose detection.

Conclusions:

• Ethylenediamine effectively controls the size of electrodeposited Cu₂O nanoparticles.
• Cu₂O nanoparticles provide an excellent platform for developing high-performance glucose biosensors.
• The developed Cu₂O-based glucose biosensor shows significant potential for practical applications due to its rapid response and high sensitivity.