Synthesis and characterization of hollow dual-tube MOF hybrid nanocomposites for electroanalytical applications

The effective assembly of hollow nanomaterials is of great importance for the rapid advancement of electroanalytical platforms. Herein, the hollow tubular zeolite imidazolium framework-8 (HTZIF-8) was carefully constructed via the precursor conversion pathway. Subsequently, the predictable assembly of HTZIF-8 with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) occurred to form a unique hollow dual-tube MOF hybrid material (HTZIF-8@CNTs). Meanwhile, the HTZIF-8@CNTs electroanalytical platform was established with dopamine (DA) as the objective biomolecule. In the electrochemical evaluation, the linear intervals of 0.06–600 μmol L−1 and detection limit of 0.02 μmol L−1 (S/N = 3) were determined, which were mainly ascribed to nano-synergistic engineering of HTZIF-8 and CNTs. The HTZIF-8@CNTs hybrid material exhibited superior electrocatalytic performance for DA compared to the solid rod-like MOF composite (SRZIF-8@CNTs), which was majorly based on the faster mass transfer characteristics of hollow MOFs. Additionally, the HTZIF-8@CNTs electrochemical sensor presented outstanding anti-interference capabilities as well as stability and could be utilized for the detection of DA in real samples. The employment of F and t statistics were employed to ensure the reliability of the results. This study will offer novel thoughts toward the application of hollow MOF composites in the area of electroanalytical platforms.