In situ synthesis of CuO nanoparticles decorated hierarchical Ce-metal-organic framework nanocomposite for an ultrasensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor

This work proposed a novel and facile in situ precipitation procedure for synthesis of CuO nanoparticles decorated hierarchical Ce-metal-organic framework nanocomposite (CuONPs/Ce-MOF). The Ce-MOF and CuONPs/Ce-MOF was characterized using electron microscopies, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry analysis, which showed CuONPs uniformly on straw-sheaf-shaped Ce-MOF surface. In 0.1 M NaOH, CuONPs/Ce-MOF modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity to glucose oxidation, and the modified electrode was employed to construct a non-enzymatic glucose sensor. The proposed sensor displayed a wide linear range of 5 nM–8.6 mM spanned 6 orders of magnitude, an untrasensitivity of 2058.5 μA mM −1  cm −2 , and a low detection limit of 2 nM (S/ N  = 3). In addition, this sensor displayed excellent repeatability, reproducibility, stability, and selectivity, and the results of glucose detection in human blood serum were very accurate. All these results indicated that CuONPs/Ce-MOF-modified electrode was a promising candidate for practical non-enzymatic sensing for glucose.