A glassy carbon electrode modified with γ-Ce2S3-decorated CNT nanocomposites for uric acid sensor development: a real sample analysis

Abstract

γ-Ce₂S₃-decorated multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite (Ce₂S₃-CNT NC) was synthesized by a wet chemical method in basic phase. Characterization of the resulting Ce₂S₃-CNT NCs was performed in detail by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) attached with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV/vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated using the Ce₂S₃-CNT NCs and then it was utilized to develop a biological sensor for the detection of uric acid (UA) via a simple electrochemical approach. With the selectivity study, UA was selected as a target since it exhibited a fast response towards the Ce₂S₃-CNT NC-fabricated GCE sensor in the I–V method. The fabricated sensor also displayed an excellent sensitivity, very low detection limit, long-term stability, and reproducibility. In the diagnostic study, a linear calibration plot (r² = 0.9972) was obtained for 0.1 nM to 1.0 mM aqueous UA solution, with the sensitivity value of 1.5822 μA nM⁻¹ m⁻² and an extremely low detection limit LOD = 60.0 ± 0.05 pM (S/N = 3). Potentials of the Ce₂S₃-CNT NCs in terms of biological sensing were also investigated via real serum and urine sample analyses. This approach is emerging as an effective technique in the development of an efficient biological sensor for the detection of biochemicals in broad scales.