An optical fiber integrated optoelectrode for the photoelectrochemical detection

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 502; p. 127436
• Main Authors: Teng, Pingping, Wen, Xingyue, Liu, Zhihai, Zhang, Jianzhong, Zhang, Yu, Copner, Nigel, Yang, Jun, Li, Kang, Bowkett, Mark, Gao, Danheng, Yuan, Libo, Zhu, Xiaoliang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Miniatured optoelectrode; Optical fiber sensor; Photoelectrochemical sensor; Trace nitrite detection; Photoelectrochemical sensor; Trace nitrite detection; Miniatured optoelectrode; Optical fiber sensor
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2021.127436

A novel optical fiber integrated optoelectrode was proposed and miniatured photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor was realized. In the structure, transparent conductive oxide indium-tin-oxide (ITO) film and photocatalytic material are coated outside of one end of the optical fiber. This tiny optoelectrode first simultaneously realizes the light-guiding ability and the microelectrode function of electroanalysis. Specifically, the detection of trace nitrite is realized by PEC process of the optical fiber/ITO/BiOI optoelectrode. The integrated optoelectrode shows remarkable electrochemical performance, and the sensor has notable PEC detection ability. At the optimal photosensitizer concentration, the optoelectrode sensor has a linear range of 1 nM–1 μM and a low detection limit of 5 × 10−10 M for the nitrite sensing. Due to the advantages of integration, fast detection, high sensitivity, and simple operation, the proposed optoelectrode has great potentials in a variety of fields, such as all-fiber integrated devices and various biochemical microanalyses systems. •A novel miniature photoelectrode was first proposed and trace amount of nitrite was detected by it.•The ITO and the photocatalytic material BiOI are coated on the surface of the optical fiber, and the miniature photoelectrode is obtained.•The photoelectrode is used to combine the light source and the sensitive element in the photoelectrochemical sensor.•The photoelectrochemical senor has great potentials in a variety of fields such as all-fiber integrated devices and various biochemical analyses systems.