Single source precursor approach to the synthesis of Bi2S3 nanoparticles: A new amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor

Bi2S3 nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized from a single source precursor complex Bi(ACDA)3 (HACDA = 2-aminocyclopentene-1-dithiocarboxylic acid) through a simple solvothermal decomposition process. The precursor complex is characterized by several spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy) and finally the structure has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction study suggesting an unusual distorted pentagonal pyramidal geometry. The transmission electron microscopic (TEM) study ascertains the NPs to be of rod-like structure with a diameter of approximately 10-40 nm and a wide range of edge lengths from 50 nm to 300 nm. These NPs, immobilized on surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), show high electron transfer ability and good electrochemical behavior and also exhibit electro-catalytic activity toward the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. As a result, this Bi2S3 NPs have been employed as a new H2O2 biosensor for amperometric estimation of H2O2 in a linear range from 10 to 5000 μM. In addition to high stability, the present biosensor has good relative standard deviation (RSD = 3.2%) and detection limit (DL of 2.5 μM at 3σ).