Bifunctional platinum-based catalysts for electrochemical detection and conversion of glucose

Monitoring glucose concentration in blood is an effective method to assess health status, and value-added glucose conversion can contribute to sustainable development. This study reports the utilization of platinum-based alloys consisting of Pt, PtRh, and PtRhNi nanoparticles supported by graphene nanosheet (GNS) as bifunctional catalysts for the electrochemical detection and conversion of glucose. Electrochemical results showed that the PtRhNi/GNS exhibited a peak current density of 0.044 mA cm −2 , which was two and four times higher than that of Pt/GNS and PtRh/GNS, respectively. The electrochemical sensor prepared by PtRhNi/GNS demonstrated a linear detection range of 0.06–0.36 mM for glucose with a minimum detection limit of 18.9 μM, and exhibits good stability, reproducibility, and immunity to interference. PtRhNi/GNS exhibited the best catalytic activity for glucose, with 86.4 % conversion of glucose at 0.666 V vs. RHE. Glyoxalate was the dominant product with a selectivity of 93 %. Moreover, the product distribution could be enhanced by optimizing the applied potential and electrolysis time. This study provides a promising method for the effective detection and utilization of glucose.