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Electrochemical synthesis of a graphene sheet and gold nanoparticle-based nanocomposite, and its application to amperometric sensing of dopamine

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Abstract

We describe a simple, green and controllable approach for electrochemical synthesis of a nanocomposite made up from electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) and gold nanoparticles. This material possesses the specific features of both gold nanoparticles and graphene. Its morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy which reveals a homogeneous distribution of gold nanoparticles on the graphene sheets. Cyclic voltammetry was used to evaluate the electrochemical properties of this nanocomposite towards dopamine by modification of it on surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Compared to the bare GCE, the electrode modified with gold nanoparticles, and the electrode modified with ERGO, the one modified with the nanocomposite displays better electrocatalytic activity. Its oxidation peak current is linearly proportional to the concentration of dopamine (DA) in the range from 0.1 to 10 μM, with a detection limit of 0.04 μM (at S/N = 3). The modified electrode also displays good storage stability, reproducibility, and selectivity.

Electrochemical reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) before and after electrochemical deposition of Au nanoparticles. Au nanoparticles with diameters of about 40–50 nm integrate uniformly with the ERGO. Electrochemical experiment results indicate that the nanocomposites modified electrode displays a wide linear range, excellent selectivity and sensitivity to DA.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Grants from the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, No. 21105002), Anyang Technology Research Program (No 208) and the Innovative Foundation for the College students of Anyang Normal University (ASCX/2011-Z12)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anyang Normal University, Anyang, 455002, China

    Su-Juan Li, De-Hua Deng, Qi Shi & Shui-Ren Liu

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  1. Su-Juan Li
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  2. De-Hua Deng
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  3. Qi Shi
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Correspondence to Su-Juan Li.

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Li, SJ., Deng, DH., Shi, Q. et al. Electrochemical synthesis of a graphene sheet and gold nanoparticle-based nanocomposite, and its application to amperometric sensing of dopamine. Microchim Acta 177, 325–331 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-012-0782-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-012-0782-9

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