In situ growth of Ni/Cu-BTC nanocatalysts on rGO surfaces: electrochemical sensors for glucose detection

In the realm of glucose detection, nickel-based and copper-based nanocomposites have garnered significant attention due to their exceptional catalytic performance and high sensitivity. This study realized linear detection across dual concentration ranges in alkaline media by in situ growing Ni/Cu-BTC spherical nanocatalysts on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). From 350 μM to 2.95 mM, with a low detection limit (LOD L ) of 21.7 μM (S/N = 3) and a sensitivity (S L ) of 40 nA mM −1  cm −2 ; from 2.95 mM to 9.45 mM, the high-concentration detection limit (LOD H ) is 1.1 mM (S/N = 3), with an improved sensitivity (S H ) of 165.7 nA mM −1  cm −2 . The response time (t) is under 2 s. Additionally, the sensor demonstrated robust interference resistance, excellent stability (%RSD = 3.57 %), repeatability (%RSD = 2.27 %), and reproducibility (%RSD = 2.34 %). In real-world sample testing, this sensor measured glucose concentrations in plasma from healthy individuals both on an empty stomach and half an hour after eating, with a relative standard deviation range of 0.94 %–2.33 %. These results suggest that the rGO-Ni/Cu-BTC composite is a promising enzyme-free electrochemical sensing material for glucose detection