Construction of Pt/Ni/NiFe2O4/C nanocomposite with one dimensional hollow structure for portable glucose sensing application

Designing portable electrochemical sensors combined with highly efficient glucose oxidation electrodes offers a significant opportunity for convenient glucose detection. In this report, we present the design and preparation of platinum deposited Ni/NiFe₂O₄/Carbon composite (Pt/Ni/NiFe₂O₄/C) derived from Ni/Fe metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) followed by Pt deposition. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron microscopy (EM) were utilized to analyze the crystal structure, morphology, and chemical composition of the resulting materials. The glucose sensing capabilities of the optimal Pt/Ni/NiFe₂O₄/C-3 were assessed using amperometry methods on a smartphone-based portable device. Acting as a nonenzymatic glucose sensor, the Pt/Ni/NiFe₂O₄/C-3 electrode demonstrated notable sensitivity and a low limit of detection for glucose. The portable sensor exhibits high sensitivities of 131.88 μM mM cm⁻² at low glucose concentration (3–500 μM) and 29.52 μA mM cm⁻² at high glucose concentration (700–4000 μM), achieving a low detection limit of 1.1 μM (S/N = 3). The sensor also demonstrates enhanced selectivity and stability for detecting glucose. Furthermore, the portable sensor exhibits a clear step-ampere response in the detection of serum samples with satisfactory recovery ranging from 99.30 to 101.32%. This suggests the significant potential of portable glucose sensing applications.

Graphical abstract