Electrochemical detection of nitrite based on glassy carbon electrode modified with gold-polyaniline-graphene nanocomposites

• Published in: RSC advances Vol. 4; no. 11; pp. 57842 - 57849
• Main Authors: Ma, Xuemei, Miao, Tingting, Zhu, Wencai, Gao, Xiaochun, Wang, Chuntao, Zhao, Caicai, Ma, Houyi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Electrodes; Gold; Graphene; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nitrites; Oxidation; Oxides
• ISSN: 2046-2069; 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c4ra08543d

First, polyaniline-graphene oxide (GO-PANI) nanocomposites were prepared by the in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of graphene oxide (GO). Next, the GO-PANI nanocomposites were reduced to polyaniline-graphene (G-PANI) nanocomposites by a green electrochemical reduction method. Finally, a thin layer of nearly monodispersed Au nanoparticles with a uniform size (∼12 nm) was coated on the surface of the G-PANI nanocomposites. Moreover, the as-prepared Au-polyaniline-graphene (Au-G-PANI) nanocomposites can be used as a sensing electrode material for the electrochemical detection of nitrite (NO 2 − ). Compared with other common modified electrodes, the Au-G-PANI/GCE shows an obvious oxidation peak of NO 2 − with a larger peak current, and gives a wider linear range from 0.1 to 200 μmol L −1 , with a detection limit of 0.01 μmol L −1 ( S / N = 3). Besides, the oxidation process of NO 2 − on the Au-G-PANI/GCE is proven to be a surface-controlled process involving the transfer of two electrons. The present study widens the applications of graphene-based nanocomposite materials in the electrochemical detection of environmental pollutants. This study reports possible interferences for the detection of NO 2 − on a Au-G-PANI/GCE.