A sensitive amperometric sensor for hydrazine based on Pt nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide–multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite

Abstract

The platinum nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide-multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite (PtNPs-rGO-MWCNTs) has been synthesised by one-step chemical co-reduction strategy in ethylene glycol (EG) system using sodium citrate as reducing agent. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), as well as the electrochemical methods have been used for the characterisation of this composite. Benefiting from the large effective surface and good carrier function of rGO-MWCNTs, PtNPs in this nanocomposite have some excellent characteristics such as small particle size, good dispersion, as well as high electrocatalytic activity. Based on this, a new electrochemical sensor for hydrazine has been fabricated using dropping method. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range for the determination of hydrazine by amperometry at 0.20 V (vs. SCE) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) is from 2.0 × 10−7 mol L−1 to 2.3 × 10−3 mol L−1. The detection limit and sensitivity is 4.5 × 10−8 mol L−1 (S/N = 3) and 219.7 μA mM−1, respectively. This sensor has some attractive analytical features such as low detection limit, wide linear range, high sensitivity, as well as good stability.