Hydrophobic adsorption of surfactants on water-soluble carbon nanotubes: A simple approach to improve sensitivity and antifouling capacity of carbon nanotubes-based electrochemical sensors

Water-soluble multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared by the strong adsorption of Congo red (CR) on MWNTs. The CR-functionalized MWNTs (MWNTs–CR) had a high solubility, a high purity and a special property of strong rebundling when dried, capable of forming uniform and compact MWNTs films with a 3D network structure of nanosizes on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Compared with GCE, the electrochemical response of estradiol at a MWNTs–CR modified glassy carbon electrode (MWNTs–CR/GCE) was greatly enhanced, which was further amplified by the addition of trace cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in solution, along with the accomplishment of antifouling capacity of the modified electrode. The weak hydrophobic adsorption of surfactants on the hydrophobic and smooth surface of MWNTs was found to be the key for simultaneously improving the sensitivity and antifouling capacity of carbon nanotube-based electrochemical sensors by surfactants.