Nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on CuO microfibers composed of CuO nanoparticles

Fluorine tin oxide (FTO) electrode modified by copper oxide microfibers (CuO-MFs) composed of numerous interconnected CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) for nonenzymatic glucose sensor was prepared by electrospinning precursor containing high percentage content of copper nitrate with subsequent calcination. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed the size of CuO particles composing CuO-MFs depended on the percentage content of copper nitrate in precursor solution. With increasing the percentage content of copper nitrate, the interconnected CuO-NPs would gradually replace the large-size CuO particles to accumulate the CuO-MFs, which have the potential to provide larger surface area and more reaction sites for electrocatalytic activity toward glucose. As a glucose sensor, the CuO-MFs modified FTO electrode prepared by 40 wt.% of copper nitrate exhibited a high sensitivity of 2321 μA mM−1 cm−2 with a low detection limit of 2.2 nM (signal/noise ratio (S/N) = 3). Additionally, the application of the CuO-MFs modified FTO electrode as a glucose sensor for biological samples was demonstrated with satisfactory results.

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► Electrospinning CuO microfibers onto electrodes as glucose sensors were studied.
► The CuO microfibers were composed of CuO particles.
► Size of CuO particles relies on percentage content of copper nitrate in precursor.
► Performance of the sensor depends on size of CuO particles.