Title: Atom-diffusion enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward glucose oxidation on atacamite nanorods

Authors: Long Wang; Shu Jia; Ning Wang; Xia Cao

Addresses: Department of Equipment Manufacture, Zhongshan Torch Polytechnic, Zhongshan, 528436, China ' Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Environment, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, 100083, China ' Center for Green Innovation, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, Beijing, China; Department of Chemistry, Dongguk University, Seoul 100-715, South Korea ' Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystem, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100083, China

Abstract: The ability to design and characterise uniform nanoparticles with multi-anion group, where the less stable ligand enhances the diffusivity and activity of the metal ion, would be of broad interest in catalysis. In this paper, well dispersed Cu₂Cl(OH)₃ (atacamite) nanorods are synthesised via a facile wet chemical method. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the atacamite nanorods (ANRs) possess an enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of glucose. The ANRs-based electrode exhibits desirable catalytic performances with a short response time (<3 s), wide linear range (3 µM to 6 mM), and sound sensitivity (as high as 45.3 µA/mM). A high selectivity towards oxidation of glucose in the presence of oxygen, ascorbic acid, uric acid and dopamine is also observed. The good electrochemical properties are attributed to the intrinsic atomic diffusivities and electron transport efficiency at the liquid-solid interface, which makes such mixed oxides promising for wide applications in non-enzymatic biofuel cells and biosensors.

Keywords: atacamite nanorods; glucose oxidation; electrocatalysis; atomic diffusion; nanotechnology; nanoparticles; electrocatalytic activity; electrochemical properties; electron transport; liquid-solid interface; biofuel cells; biosensors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2016.079235

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2016 Vol.12 No.3/4, pp.298 - 307

Received: 16 Jun 2015
Accepted: 04 Mar 2016
Published online: 23 Sep 2016 *

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