Flexible Free-Standing CuO/Ag₂O (x = 1, 2) Nanowires Integrated with Nanoporous Cu-Ag Network Composite for Glucose...

To improve glucose electrocatalytic performance, one efficient manner is to develop a novel Cu-Ag bimetallic composite with fertile porosity and unique architecture. Herein, the self-supported electrode with CuO/Ag₂O (x = 1, 2) nanowires grown in-situ on a nanoporous Cu-Ag network (Cu/Ag₂O@NP-CuAg) has been successfully designed by a facile two-step approach. The integrated hierarchical porous structure, the tip-converged CuO/Ag₂O nanowires combined with the interconnected porous conductive substrate, are favorable to provide more reactive sites and improve ions or electrons transportation. Compared with monometallic Cu₂O nanowires integrated with nanoporous Cu matrix (Cu₂O@NP-Cu), the bimetallic CuO/Ag₂O@NP-CuAg composites exhibit the enhanced electrocatalytic performance for glucose. Moreover, the higher sensitivity of ~1.49 mA mM^-1 cm^-2 in conjunction with a wider linear range of 17 mM for the CuO/Ag₂O@NP-CuAg electrode anodized for 10 min are attributed to the synergistic effect of porous structure and bimetallic CuO/Ag₂O nanowires. Particularly, the integrated CuO/Ag₂O@NP-CuAg composites possess good flexibility, which has been reported for the first time. Accordingly, the CuO/Ag₂O@NP-CuAg with excellent glucose electrocatalytic performance and good flexibility is promising to further develop as a candidate electrode material of glucose sensors.