Designing and facilely synthesizing a series of cobalt nitride (Co4N) nanocatalysts as non-enzymatic glucose sensors: A comparative study toward the influences of material structures on electrocatalytic activities

Tingting Liu; Mian Li; Liping Guo

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2017.12.082

Designing and facilely synthesizing a series of cobalt nitride (Co₄N) nanocatalysts as non-enzymatic glucose sensors: A comparative study toward the influences of material structures on electrocatalytic activities

Talanta. 2018 May 1:181:154-164. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.12.082. Epub 2017 Dec 27.

Authors

Tingting Liu¹, Mian Li², Liping Guo³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Nanobiosensing and Nanobioanalysis at Universities of Jilin Province, Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130024, PR China.
² National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Battery Materials of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, PR China. Electronic address: lim148@kmust.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of Nanobiosensing and Nanobioanalysis at Universities of Jilin Province, Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130024, PR China. Electronic address: guolp078@nenu.edu.cn.

PMID: 29426495
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.12.082

Abstract

Designing high-efficiency electrocatalysts for glucose concentration detection plays a pivotal role in developing various non-enzymatic glucose detection devices. Herein, we have successfully designed and synthesized various cobalt nitrides (Co₄N) by using different weak bases (i.e. hexamethylenetetramine (HMT), urea, and ammonium hydroxide (AH)) through nitridation treatment in ammonia (NH₃) atmosphere. Physical characterization results demonstrate that Co₄N-NSs (nanosheets) with vast meso/macropores and large BET surface are successfully constructed once adding carbon paper and HMT into precursors. As the synergistic effect of metallic character of Co₄N phase_, excellent electroconductibility of pyrolytic carbon, and large surface area, Co₄N-NSs surfaces can form more Co⁴⁺ active sites in electrochemical reaction processes. Meanwhile, the abundant meso/macroporous structures constructed in Co₄N-NSs further promoted its mass transfer ability. Benefitting from the above mentioned advantages, Co₄N-NSs therefore exhibit more excellent glucose oxidation ability than another three control samples (i.e. Co₄N-HMT, Co₄N-Urea and Co₄N-AH). When used for glucose detection, the optimal Co₄N-NSs display excellent detection parameters as well, such as: a wide linear range of 0.6-10.0mM, a large sensitivity of 1137.2uAcm^-2mM^-1 glucose, a low detection limit of 0.1µM, a small response time of 1.7s, good reproducibility and stability, and the excellent anti-interference to other electroactive molecules and Cl^-. Upon utilized for measuring glucose concentrations in human blood serum samples, the detection results on Co₄N-NSs are accurate and satisfying as well. This work opens a new possibility for boosting electrochemical catalysis abilities of Co₄N samples by the structure design.

Keywords: Cobalt nitride; Meso/macroporous structure; Metallic character; Nanosheets; Non-enzymatic glucose detection.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques / methods*
Catalysis
Cobalt / chemistry*
Electrochemical Techniques / methods
Glucose / analysis*
Glucose / chemistry
Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
Metal Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
Microscopy, Electron
Nitrogen Compounds / chemistry*
Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Reproducibility of Results
Surface Properties

Substances

Nitrogen Compounds
Cobalt
Glucose