rGO/SWCNT composites as novel electrode materials for electrochemical biosensing

In this study we performed electrochemical sensing using conductive carbon composite films containing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as electrode modifiers on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy all suggested that the rGO acted as a surfactant, covering and smoothing out the surface, and that the SWCNTs acted as a conducting bridge to connect the isolated rGO sheets, thereby (i) minimizing the barrier for charge transfer between the rGO sheets and (ii) increasing the conductivity of the film. We used the rGO/SWCNT-modified GCE as a sensor to analyze hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), obtaining substantial improvements in electrochemical reactivity and detection limits relative to those obtained from rGO- and SWCNT-modified electrodes, presumably because of the higher conductivity and greater coverage on the GCE, due to pi-pi interactions originating from the graphitic structures of the rGO and SWCNTs. The electrocatalysis response was measured by cyclic voltammetry and amperometric current-time (i-t) curve techniques. The linear concentration range of H2O2 and NADH detection at rGO/SWCNT-modified electrode is 0.5-5 M and 20-400 mu M. The sensitivity for H2O2 and NADH detection is 2732.4 and 204 mu A mM(-1) cm(-2), and the limit of detection is 1.3 and 0.078 mu M respectively. Furthermore, interference tests indicated that the carbon composite film exhibited high selectivity toward H2O2 and NADH. Using GO as a solubilizing agent for SWCNTs establishes a new class of carbon electrodes for electrochemical sensors. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.