Pd-Ni alloy nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber composites: preparation, structure, and superior electrocatalytic properties for sugar analysis.
Novel Pd-Ni alloy nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber (Pd-Ni/CNF) composites were successfully prepared by a simple method involving electrospinning of precursor polyacrylonitrile/Pd(acac)2/Ni(acac)2 nanofibers, followed by a thermal process to reduce metals and carbonize polyacrylonitrile. The nanostructures of the resulting Pd-Ni/CNF nanocomposites were carefully examined by a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), high-angle annular dark field (HAADF)-scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). For all the nanocomposites, the Pd-Ni alloy nanoparticles (NPs) were dispersed uniformly and embedded firmly within the framework or on the surface of CNF. The size, composition, and alloy homogeneity of the Pd-Ni alloy NPs could be readily tailored by controlling the feed ratio of metal precursors and the thermal treatment process. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed enhanced redox properties for Pd-Ni/CNF-based electrodes relative to the Ni-metal electrode and significantly improved electrocatalytic activity for sugar (e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose) oxidation. The application potential of Pd-Ni/CNF-based electrodes in flow systems for sugars detection was explored. A very low limit of detection for sugars (e.g., 7-20 nM), high resistance to surface fouling, excellent signal stability and reproducibility, and a very wide detection linear range (e.g., 0.03-800 μM) were revealed for this new type of Pd-Ni/CNF nanocomposite as the detecting electrode. Such detection performances of Pd-Ni/CNF-based electrodes are superior to those of state-of-the-art nonenzymatic sugar detectors that are commercially available or known in the literature.
State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Changchun, Jilin 130022, China.
Qiaohui
Q
Guo
Dong
D
Liu
Xueping
X
Zhang
Libo
L
Li
Haoqing
H
Hou
Osamu
O
Niwa
Tianyan
T
You
D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D057139:Nanofibers; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry*; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D002241:Carbohydrates; D010165:Palladium; D002244:Carbon; D009532:Nickel