MXene-Embedded Porous Carbon-Based Cu₂O Nanocomposites for Non-Enzymatic Glucose Sensors

Abstract

This work explores the use of MXene-embedded porous carbon-based Cu₂O nanocomposite (Cu₂O/M/AC) as a sensing material for the electrochemical sensing of glucose. The composite was prepared using the coprecipitation method and further analyzed for its morphological and structural characteristics. The highly porous scaffold of activated (porous) carbon facilitated the incorporation of MXene and copper oxide inside the pores and also acted as a medium for charge transfer. In the Cu₂O/M/AC composite, MXene and Cu₂O influence the sensing parameters, which were confirmed using electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and amperometric analysis. The prepared composite shows two sets of linear ranges for glucose with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.96 μM. The linear range was found to be 0.004 to 13.3 mM and 15.3 to 28.4 mM, with sensitivity values of 430.3 and 240.5 μA mM^-1 cm^-2, respectively. These materials suggest that the prepared Cu₂O/M/AC nanocomposite can be utilized as a sensing material for non-enzymatic glucose sensors.