Modulating Electronic Structure via Bimetallic D-Band Engineering toward an Ultrasensitive Sensor Platform for
Caiyu Ge1, Qi Chen2, Jiejun Li1
1Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan411105, People's Republic of China.
ACS Sensors
|July 4, 2026
Summary
This study developed a novel electrochemical sensor using a metal-organic framework (MOF) composite for detecting chlorogenic acid (CA). The sensor shows high sensitivity and accuracy, offering a reliable method for trace CA analysis in food products.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Pure metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) suffer from poor conductivity, and MOF-derived carbons often face structural collapse.
- Developing robust and sensitive electrochemical sensors for trace analyte detection remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct a highly conductive and stable electrochemical sensing interface for chlorogenic acid (CA) detection.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of bimetallic alloys and N-doped carbon nanosheets derived from MOFs.
Main Methods:
- Integration of UiO-66-NH2 MOF with bimetallic CoFe alloy-embedded N-doped carbon nanosheets (CoFe@NC).
- Electrochemical characterization, including cyclic voltammetry and amperometry.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, in-situ Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Main Results:
- The CoFe@NC composite exhibited a large specific surface area (227.58 m2·g-1) and uniform morphology.
- The sensor achieved a wide linear range (0.001-7 μM) and an ultralow detection limit (0.29 nM) for CA.
- Elucidation of the reaction mechanism and synergistic enhancement effect through DFT and experimental analyses.
Conclusions:
- The developed MOF-derived composite provides a high-performance sensing platform for trace CA detection.
- This work demonstrates a novel strategy for designing electrochemical sensors using hierarchically structured MOF composites.
- The sensor showed excellent accuracy and reliability when applied to real food samples.
