Controllable synthesis of branched hierarchical ZnO nanorod arrays for highly sensitive hydrazine detection

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 364; pp. 434 - 441
• Main Authors: Hu, Jie, Zhao, Zhenting, Sun, Yongjiao, Wang, Ying, Li, Pengwei, Zhang, Wendong, Lian, Kun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 28.02.2016
• Subjects: Arrays; Branched; Branched hierarchical ZnO; Electrochemical sensor; Electrodeposition; Hydrazine; Hydrazines; Nanostructure; Sensor arrays; Sensors; Specific surface; Zinc oxide; Electrodeposition; Electrochemical sensor; Hydrazine; Branched hierarchical ZnO
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.12.165

An sensitive hydrazine electrochemical sensor was fabricated by using branched hierarchical ZnO nanorod arrays. •The electrodeposition conditions for ZnO nanostructures were optimized.•The branched hierarchical ZnO nanorod arrays were synthesized by two-step electrodeposition methods.•The branched hierarchical ZnO based hydrazine sensor exhibits the best performance with a sensitivity of 5.35μAμM−1cm−2 and a low detection limit of 0.08μM. In this paper, three different kinds of ZnO nanostructures were successfully synthesized on Au/Glass (Au/G) substrate by electrochemical deposition method. The morphology and crystalline structures of the obtained samples were characterized using SEM, XRD and HRTEM. Electrochemical responses of the as-prepared ZnO based sensors to hydrazine in 0.1M phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 7.4) were analyzed by cyclic voltammetry and single-potential amperometry. The results confirmed that the electrochemical performances of ZnO sensors are strongly dependent on the specific surface area. Especially, the branched hierarchical ZnO nanorod arrays shows the highest sensitivity of 5.35μAμM−1cm−2, a short response time of 3s, a low detection limit of 0.08μM with a linear hydrazine concentration response range from 0.8μM to 101μM, and it also exhibits excellent anti-interference, stability and reproducibility abilities, which provide great potential method of ZnO branched hierarchical structures in the development of high-performance electrochemical sensor.