A sensitive AgNPs/CuO nanofibers non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on electrospinning technology

A novel sensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor was fabricated with silver nanoparticles modified cupric oxide nanofibers (Ag/CuO NFs). The Ag/CuO NFs-indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode was prepared by firstly electrospinning AgNO3, Cu(NO3)2 and polyvinylpyrrolidone onto the surface of an ITO glass and followed with oxidization to Ag/CuO NFs by annealing in air. The Ag/CuO NFs-ITO electrode was applied to detect glucose by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry. The effects of electrospinning time, AgNO3:Cu(NO3)2 mass ratio, calcination temperature and NaOH concentration on the sensitivity of glucose sensor were investigated in detail. Under the optimal conditions, CV and chronoamperometric studies revealed that, compared with CuO NFs-ITO electrode, the AgNPs modification showed a remarkable increase in the efficiency of the electro-catalytic oxidation of glucose, exhibiting a high sensitivity of 1347 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a low detection limit of 51.7 nM (S/N = 3). More importantly, the poisoning by chloride ion and the interferences from l-ascorbic acid, uric acid, lactose, sucrose, fructose, and dopamine were negligible. The Ag/CuO NFs-ITO sensor could be used for detecting glucose in real samples. This Ag/CuO NFs-ITO sensor is highly promising for non-enzymatic glucose sensing attributing to its high sensitivity, fast response, excellent stability and good reproducibility.