Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of hemoglobin with carbon nanotube-ionic liquid-chitosan composite materials modified carbon ionic liquid electrode

A novel composite biomaterial was prepared by combining chitosan, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), hemoglobin (Hb) and ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide together, which was further modified on the surface of a carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) with another ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulphate as the binder. Ultraviolet-visible and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic results indicated that Hb molecules in the composite film retained the native structure. Cyclic voltammetric results showed that a pair of well-defined redox peaks appeared in 0.1 mol/L phosphate buffer solution, indicating that the direct electron transfer of Hb in the composite film with the underlying electrode was realized. The results were attributed to the synergistic effect of MWCNTs and IL in the composite film, which promoted the electron transfer rate of Hb. The composite material modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic ability towards the reduction of different substrates such as trichloroacetic acid and NaNO2 with good stability and reproducibility.