Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of 4-Nitrophenol with PEDOT:PSS Modified Pt NPs-Embedded PPy-CB@ZnO Nanocomposites

In this study, a selective 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) sensor was developed onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as an electron-sensing substrate, which decorated with sol-gel, prepared Pt nanoparticles- (NPs) embedded polypyrole-carbon black (PPy-CB)/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) using differential pulse voltammetry. Characterizations of the NCs were performed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD). The GCE modified by conducting coating binders [poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate; PEDOT:PSS] based on Pt NPs/PPy-CB/ZnO NCs functioned as the working electrode and showed selectivity toward 4-NP in a phosphate buffer medium at pH 7.0. Our analysis of 4-NP showed the linearity from 1.5 to 40.5 mu M, which was identified as the linear detection range (LDR). A current versus concentration plot was formed and showed a regression co-efficient R-2 of 0.9917, which can be expressed by i(p)(mu A) = 0.2493C(mu M) + 15.694. The 4-NP sensor sensitivity was calculated using the slope of the LDR, considering the surface area of the GCE (0.0316 cm(2)). The sensitivity was calculated as 7.8892 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2). The LOD (limit of detection) of the 4-NP was calculated as 1.25 +/- 0.06 mu M, which was calculated from 3xSD/sigma (SD: Standard deviation of blank response; sigma: Slope of the calibration curve). Limit of quantification (LOQ) is also calculated as 3.79 mu M from LOQ = 10xLOD/3.3. Sensor parameters such as reproducibility, response time, and analyzing stability were outstanding. Therefore, this novel approach can be broadly used to safely fabricate selective 4-NP sensors based on nanoparticle-decorated nanocomposite materials in environmental measurement. In this study, a selective 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) sensor was developed onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as an electron-sensing substrate, which decorated with sol-gel, prepared Pt nanoparticles- (NPs) embedded polypyrole-carbon black (PPy-CB)/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) using differential pulse voltammetry. Characterizations of the NCs were performed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD). The GCE modified by conducting coating binders [poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate; PEDOT:PSS] based on Pt NPs/PPy-CB/ZnO NCs functioned as the working electrode and showed selectivity toward 4-NP in a phosphate buffer medium at pH 7.0. Our analysis of 4-NP showed the linearity from 1.5 to 40.5 mu M, which was identified as the linear detection range (LDR). A current versus concentration plot was formed and showed a regression co-efficient R-2 of 0.9917, which can be expressed by i(p)(mu A) = 0.2493C(mu M) + 15.694. The 4-NP sensor sensitivity was calculated using the slope of the LDR, considering the surface area of the GCE (0.0316 cm(2)). The sensitivity was calculated as 7.8892 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2). The LOD (limit of detection) of the 4-NP was calculated as 1.25 +/- 0.06 mu M, which was calculated from 3xSD/sigma (SD: Standard deviation of blank response; sigma: Slope of the calibration curve). Limit of quantification (LOQ) is also calculated as 3.79 mu M from LOQ = 10xLOD/3.3. Sensor parameters such as reproducibility, response time, and analyzing stability were outstanding. Therefore, this novel approach can be broadly used to safely fabricate selective 4-NP sensors based on nanoparticle-decorated nanocomposite materials in environmental measurement.

Automated summary

In this study, a selective 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) sensor was developed using differential pulse voltammetry and decorated onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The sensor showed selectivity towards 4-NP and can be widely used in environmental measurements. The use of nanoparticle-decorated nanocomposite materials in this novel approach provides outstanding sensor parameters.