Improvement of sensitive Ni(OH)2 nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on carbon nanotube/polyimide membrane

An improved nonenzymatic glucose sensor was fabricated of Ni(OH)2 on carbon nanotube/polyimide (PI/CNT) membrane by a simple electrochemical method. Three different morphologies of Ni(OH)2 have been formed by changing the conditions used in synthesis process. The formation mechanism for Ni(OH)2 nanospheres was studied to provide a deep understanding of crystal growth. The electrochemical behaviors of different Ni(OH)2 nanostructures were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry in alkaline solution. At an applied potential of +0.60 V, the sensor based on PI/CNT–Ni(OH)2 nanospheres shows a high sensitivity of 2071.5 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a detection limit of 0.36 μM (signal/noise = 3). The proposed sensor exhibits high sensitivity, long-term stability and good reproducibility, and performs well for detection of glucose in human blood serums. Therefore, this novel fabrication method for glucose sensor is promising for the future development of nonenzymatic glucose sensors.