Simultaneous Catechol and Hydroquinone Detection with Laser Fabricated MOF-Derived Cu-CuO@C Composite Electrochemical Sensor

Abstract

The conversion of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into advanced functional materials offers a promising route for producing unique nanomaterials. MOF-derived systems have the potential to overcome the drawbacks of MOFs, such as low electrical conductivity and poor structural stability, which have hindered their real-world applications in certain cases. In this study, laser scribing was used for pyrolysis of a Cu-based MOF ([Cu4{1,4-C6H4(COO)2}3(4,4′-bipy)2]n) to synthesize a Cu-CuO@C composite on the surface of a screen-printed electrode (SPE). Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used for the investigation of the morphology and composition of the fabricated electrodes. The electrochemical properties of Cu-CuO@C/SPE were studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed flexible electrochemical Cu-CuO@C/SPE sensor for the simultaneous detection of hydroquinone and catechol exhibited good sensitivity, broad linear range (1–500 μM), and low limits of detection (0.39 μM for HQ and 0.056 μM for CT).