Nickel/cobalt oxide-decorated 3D graphene nanocomposite electrode for enhanced electrochemical detection of urea

A NiCo2O4 bimetallic electro-catalyst was synthesized on three-dimensional graphene (3D graphene) for the non-enzymatic detection of urea. The structural and morphological properties of the NiCo2O4/3D graphene nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The NiCo2O4/3D graphene was deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass to fabricate a highly sensitive urea sensor. The electrochemical properties of the prepared electrode were studied by cyclic voltammetry. A high sensitivity of 166 μA mM−1 cm−2 was obtained for the NiCo2O4/3D graphene/ITO sensor. The sensor exhibited a linear range of 0.06-0.30 mM (R2=0.998) and a fast response time of approximately 1.0 s with a detection limit of 5.0 µM. Additionally, the sensor exhibited high stability with a sensitivity decrease of only 5.5% after four months of storage in ambient conditions. The urea sensor demonstrates feasibility for urea analysis in urine samples.