Ionic Organic Network-based C3-symmetric@Triazine core as a selective Hg⁺² sensor.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Trace mercury detection is crucial for environmental and health monitoring due to its toxicity.
• Electrochemical sensors offer high sensitivity and selectivity for heavy metal ion detection.
• Ionic polymers and carbon nanomaterials show promise for enhancing sensor performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a C3-symmetry ionic polymer, PPyTri, for electrochemical sensing.
• To fabricate PPyTri-based nanocomposites with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs).
• To evaluate the efficacy of these nanocomposites as ultrasensitive electrochemical sensors for trace Hg(II) detection.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of the PPyTri ionic polymer via condensation reactions.
• Modification of PPyTri with MWCNTs and GNPs to form nanocomposites.
• Characterization using IR, NMR, SEM, TEM, and XRD; electrochemical performance evaluation using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE).

Main Results:

• The PPyTri polymer and its nanocomposites exhibited semi-crystalline structures.
• The PPyTri-GNPs nanocomposite-modified GCE showed the highest current response for Hg(II) detection.
• Achieved excellent sensitivity (83.33 µAµM⁻¹cm⁻²), a low detection limit (0.033 nM), and a wide linear dynamic range (0.1 nM to 0.01 mM).

Conclusions:

• The PPyTri-GNPs nanocomposite is a highly effective material for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of Hg(II).
• This developed sensor system offers a promising tool for accurate and sensitive environmental mercury monitoring.
• The synergy between the ionic polymer and GNPs significantly enhances electrochemical sensing capabilities.