A dual-functional cuprum coordination framework for high proton conduction and electrochemical dopamine detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tunable properties for diverse applications.
• Developing advanced materials for proton conduction and electrochemical sensing is crucial.
• Amino-functionalized MOFs present unique opportunities for hybrid material design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize an amino-functionalized cuprum-based MOF (EA-JUC-1000) for dual applications.
• To enhance proton conductivity of EA-JUC-1000 by creating hybrid membranes with Brønsted acids and chitosan.
• To develop a sensitive electrochemical sensor for dopamine detection using EA-JUC-1000 composites.

Main Methods:

• Microwave-assisted synthesis of EA-JUC-1000.
• Fabrication of hybrid membranes by doping Brønsted acid encapsulated EA-JUC-1000 into chitosan.
• In-situ combination of EA-JUC-1000 with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for sensor development.
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for proton conductivity measurements.
• Electrochemical techniques for dopamine detection and performance evaluation.

Main Results:

• The hybrid membrane CF3SO3H@EA-JUC-1000/CS-8% exhibited a proton conductivity of 1.23 × 10-3 S∙cm-1 at 338 K and 98% RH, a 2.6-fold increase compared to chitosan.
• The rGO/EA-JUC-1000 composite demonstrated a wide dopamine detection range (0.1–500 μM) with a low limit of detection (50 nM).
• The sensor showed excellent anti-interference, reproducibility, and repeatability, and was successfully applied to detect dopamine in bovine serum samples.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized EA-JUC-1000 is a promising dual-functional material for both proton conduction and dopamine sensing.
• The MOF-based hybrid membranes offer enhanced proton conductivity for potential energy applications.
• The MOF-rGO composite provides a sensitive and selective platform for electrochemical dopamine detection in biological samples.
• This work highlights the potential of MOFs in developing practical, multifunctional materials.