Nickle-ion-substituted ceria nanoparticles-based electrochemical sensor for sensitive detection of thiourea

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics Vol. 32; no. 18; pp. 23266 - 23274
• Main Authors: Ansari, Anees A., Alam, Manawwer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-09-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Buffer solutions; Cerium oxides; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical composition; Chemical sensors; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Crystallography; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Electrodes; Field emission microscopy; Glassy carbon; Materials Science; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Nickel; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Photoelectrons; Photomicrographs; Regression coefficients; Spectrum analysis; Substitutes; Thioureas; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-021-06811-8

Nickel-substituted ceria nanoparticles (CeO
2
:Ni NPs) were prepared by the co-precipitation process under environmental conditions. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission-transmission electron microscopy, UV/visible, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques were successfully used to investigate the crystallographic structure, phase purity, morphology, optical properties, chemical composition, and electrocatalytic properties of the as-prepared ceria NPs. XRD pattern shows the formation of single-phase, highly crystalline, and cubic phase nanostructure with an average of 10 nm crystalline size. As observed from TEM micrographs, particles were highly aggregated may be due to the synthesis in aqueous media. The electrochemical properties and sensing performance of the CeO
2
:Ni NPs pasted on glassy carbon electrode were measured against different thiourea concentrations. The fabricated electrode revealed excellent electrocatalytic activity against thiourea concentrations as well as characterization in comparison to the bare electrode. The electrode exhibited a linear detection range between 3.56 and 1000 µM, detection limit 3.56 µM, and sensitivity 2.52 µA mL µM
−1
 cm
−2
with regression coefficient 0.995. The electrochemical stability, chemical kinetic, and reproducibility were also examined in the presence of thiourea in phosphate buffer solution.