Non-enzymatic detection of glucose using ternary NiFeCo-Glycerolate supported on graphite electrodes

A ternary metal-glycerolate combined with a low-cost platform electrode was demonstrated as an effective sensor for glucose analysis. The hybrid organic–inorganic NiFeCo-Glycerolate was fabricated by one-step solvothermal treatment. The proposed process produces microspheres with an average size of ∼1 µm that were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR, TGA, XPS, TEM, and SEM-EDS techniques. The combination of a scalable synthesis with a cost-effective conductive platform is an interesting strategy for the development of an enzyme-free glucose electrochemical sensor. Experiments employing chronoamperometry demonstrated a good linearity of response in the concentration range of 100 to 600 µmol L⁻¹, with a detection and quantification limit of 6.20 and 20.5 µmol L⁻¹, respectively. The developed sensor was utilized to quantify glucose in a synthetic urine sample, with a recovery rate of 105 ± 3 %, and a current retention of 94.8 % in an interval of time of 24 h. Thus, highlighting the potential of ternary metal-glycerolates allied to a low-cost platform in glucose sensing.