Electrocatalytic oxidation and detection of hydrazine at carbon nanotube-supported palladium nanoparticles in strong acidic solution conditions

Pd nanoparticle catalysts supported by multiwall carbon nanotubes (Pd/MWNTs) prepared using a complexation–reduction method are used in this study for the electrochemical determination of hydrazine. The physico-chemical properties of the Pd/MWNT catalyst were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy physico-chemical (SEM). These structural analyses reveal that the Pd/MWNTs-modified glassy carbon electrode possesses a three-dimensional network structure in which the Pd nanoparticles, with an average size of 5 nm, are uniformly distributed on the surface of the MWNTs. After Nafion solution was coated on the surface of the Pd/MWNT layer, the resulting Pd/MWNT–Nafion modified electrode retained the three-dimensional network structure. Electrochemical measurements show that the oxidation peak current of hydrazine decreases with increasing pH. Under optimum conditions, the Pd/MWNT–Nafion-based hydrazine sensor exhibits a broad linear calibration range (2.5–700 μM) and a low detection limit of 1.0 μM for hydrazine.

► Pd/MWNTs catalyst with high activity is prepared by simple complexing−reduction method.
► Electrochemical measurements display that solution pH affects the oxidation of hydrazine.
► Pd/MWNTs−Nafion based hydrazine sensor displays a wide linear calibration range.