A non-enzymatic electrochemical hydrogen peroxide sensor based on copper oxide nanostructures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a significant analyte in various biological and environmental systems.
• Developing efficient and selective electrochemical sensors for H₂O₂ detection is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize nanostructured copper oxide (CuO) on copper wires for H₂O₂ detection.
• To evaluate the electrochemical performance of the synthesized CuO nanostructures as a sensor.

Main Methods:

• One-step hydrothermal oxidation for CuO petal nanostructure synthesis on copper wires.
• Characterization using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffractometry.
• Electrochemical determination of H₂O₂ using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and i-t measurements.

Main Results:

• Uniform, dense CuO nanostructures with good adhesion were successfully synthesized.
• A linear response for H₂O₂ detection was observed in the range of 10–1800 μM with high sensitivity (439.19 μA·mM⁻¹).
• The sensor showed excellent selectivity, with minimal interference from common substances, and high recovery (>95%) in real milk samples.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized CuO nanostructured electrode is a promising platform for sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of H₂O₂.
• The sensor exhibits potential for practical applications in qualitative and quantitative H₂O₂ analysis in real-world samples.