Electrochemical sensing based on gold nanoparticle-decorated halloysite nanotube composites

Novel gold nanoparticle-decorated halloysite nanotube (AuNP–HNT) composites were effectively synthesized and then used for electrochemical sensing applications. The AuNP–HNT nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The AuNP–HNT composite-based modified electrode exhibited high eletrocatalytic activity to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with a linear range of 5.0 × 10−6 to 2.55 × 10−4 M and a detection limit of 1 × 10−6 M (signal/noise = 3), indicating that it could be used as a novel nonenzymatic electrochemical H2O2 sensor. Furthermore, the Ru(bpy)32+/AuNP–HNT/Nafion composite film modified electrode exhibited good electrochemiluminescence activity for determining tripropylamine.