Laser-Induced Copper/Carbon Nanocomposite from Anodically Electrodeposited Chitosan for H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> Sensing

oleh: Usama Zafar, Prince Kumar Rai, Ankur Gupta, Jan G. Korvink, Vlad Badilita, Monsur Islam

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-03-01

Deskripsi

This work presents anodically electrodeposited copper (Cu)/chitosan gel as a novel precursor for synthesizing a Cu/carbon nanocomposite through laser-induced carbonization. Metal/carbon nanocomposites offering advantageous properties compared to their individual counterparts stand out in various applications, particularly in those involving electrochemical phenomena. However, their synthesis often suffers from complicated and time-consuming synthesis procedures. Here, we integrate anodic electrodeposition and laser-induced carbonization to yield a rapid, simple, and inexpensive procedure for synthesizing metal/carbon nanocomposite. A precursor composite involving Cu-coordinated chitosan film is achieved through anodic electrodeposition on a copper anode. Irradiation by an infrared laser with optimized parameters results in the thermochemical decomposition of the Cu/chitosan composite, rapidly forming a nanocomposite material featuring highly graphitized and porous carbon materials. Elemental mapping confirms the formation of the nanocomposite, although no crystalline phases of copper are observed during X-ray diffraction. This can be attributed to the rapid nature of the laser-carbonization process. The nanocomposite material is further demonstrated for electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>), exhibiting a sensitivity of 2.65 mM<sup>−1</sup> for concentrations ranging from 0.01 mM to 0.1 mM H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, and 0.01 ± 0.01 mM<sup>−1</sup> for concentrations from 0.1 to 10 mM H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>. These sensitivities are comparable to other non-enzymatic H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> biosensors. The finding of this work signifies a rapid and facile method for synthesizing metal/carbon nanocomposites with strong implications for the field of biosensors.