title: Hierarchically Self-Assembled Star-Shaped ZnO Microparticles for Electrochemical Sensing of Amines.
abstract: Novel, hierarchically nanostructured, star-shaped ZnO (SSZ) microparticles are synthesized by a hydrothermal synthetic route. The SSZ microparticles serve as effective platforms for electrochemical detection of amines in solution. The morphology and structure of the materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The as-synthesized SSZ microparticles comprise self-assembled hexagonal prisms that possess nanometer and micrometer pores in their structure and on their surfaces-structural features that are conducive to sensing applications. An electrode fabricated by using the hierarchically nanostructured SSZ materials serve as a sensitive electrochemical sensor for detection of low concentrations of ethylenediamine, with a sensitivity of 2.98×10(-2)  mA cm(-2)  mm(-1) , a detection limit of 2.36×10(-2)  mm, and a short response time of 8 s.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, 79 Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030024, P. R. China. dujp518@163.com.|Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA. dujp518@163.com.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoxi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Kunming Tobacco Limited Liability Company, 86 Bingzhou East Road, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030012, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ruihua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Special Chemicals, Taiyuan University of Technology, 79 Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030024, P. R. China. jpli211@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jinping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA. tasefa@rci.rutgers.edu.|Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA. tasefa@rci.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Tewodros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asefa
keywords: amines; self-assembly; semiconductors; sensors; zinc oxide