High-Sensitivity Dopamine Detection with Copper Terephthalate-Modified Carbon Electrode

The development of sensitive and simple materials for dopamine detection is crucial for advancing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Copper-based metal–organic frameworks (Cu-MOFs) have emerged as competitive candidates for sensor design, owing to their tunable electronic properties, structural flexibility, and cost-effective preparation. In this study, four MOFs with copper nodes and terephthalate or trimesate linkers are synthesized, both with and without modulators, to investigate the influence of synthetic strategies and morphological characteristics on sensor performance. Among the materials, a non-modulated, Cu(OH)₂-derived copper-terephthalate MOF demonstrates exceptional sensitivity for dopamine detection. Its unique flake-like morphology and mesoporosity significantly enhance charge transfer and substrate accessibility, achieving a linear detection range of 5 × 10⁻⁵–0.75 mmol L⁻¹ and a limit of detection of 1.26 nmol L⁻¹—outperforming most reported MOF-based sensors. These results highlight the critical role of precise morphological control and synthetic optimization in tailoring Cu-MOFs for electrochemical applications. This work positions Cu-MOFs as scalable, efficient, and competitive alternatives to complex, multicomponent sensors for neurotransmitter detection.