High sensitivity hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine sensor based on silver nanocubes with rich {100} facets as an enhanced electrochemical sensing platform

We report a novel hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydrazine sensor based on low-cost poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-protected silver nanocubes (PVP–AgNCs). The monodisperse silver nanocubes were prepared by adding a trace amount of sodium sulfide in the conventional polyol synthesis for fast reduction of silver nitrate under protection of argon. The sensor was fabricated by simple casting of PVP–AgNCs aqueous solution on a glassy carbon electrode and the performance was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and amperometric techniques. It was found that the resulting sensor exhibited extremely good performance toward H2O2 detection with wide linear response ranging from 0.05 to 70 mM (R=0.996) at −0.3 V and low detection limit of 0.18 μM estimated at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. In addition, the fabricated sensor also exhibited high sensitivity toward the detection of hydrazine with a low detection limit of 1.1 μM, wide linear range from 0.005 to 0.46 mM (R=0.999) at 0.4 V and rapid amperometric response time of less than 2 s. For both analytes, the sensor exhibited good reproducibility, selectivity and stability. The excellent performance of the sensor might be attributed to the enhanced electrochemical sensing property of well-defined PVP–AgNCs with rich {100} facets.

► Silver nanocubes with rich {100} facets were used as a new electrode material.
► Silver nanocube-based detection toward H2O2 is better than those of most Pt nanomaterials.
► Silver nanocubes also showed excellent catalytic activity toward the oxidation of hydrazine.