Dopamine (DA) is an essential neurotransmitter which plays important roles in human's biological and cognitive processes, specifically learning, memory, emotions, and movements. Abnormality of dopamine level can signal the trace of neurological diseases. Dopamine detection, therefore, can be useful in detection of symptoms and diseases related to brain disorders such as Parkinson's and depression. This study aimed at examining usage of hematite iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) as electrochemical sensors for dopamine detection. Nanoparticulate Fe 2 O 3 was synthesized, microstructurally examined, and tested for its electrocatalytic activities. The synthesized powder showed a single phase with an average particle size of 93.9 nm. Electrocatalytic activities of the powder, measured in dopamine hydrochloride solutions with concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 μM, were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry technique. At applied voltage of 0.33 V, peak currents corresponding to oxidation reactions between dopamine and Fe 2 O 3 electrode were detected. With sensitivity of Fe 2 O 3 electrode in the range between 0.021 and 0.033 μA μM −1 , the Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles exhibited fair sensing ability.

No abstract

No abstract

Calcium titanate (CaTiO3), strontium titanate (SrTiO3), and strontium calcium titanate (SrxCa1−xTiO3) are widely recognized and utilized as dielectric materials. Their electrocatalytic properties, however, have not been extensively examined. The aim of this research is to explore the electrocatalytic performance of calcium titanate, strontium titanate, and strontium calcium titanate, as potential sensing materials. Experimental results revealed that CaTiO3, SrTiO3, and Sr0.5Ca0.5TiO3 powders synthesized by the solution combustion technique consisted of submicrometer-sized particles with specific surface areas ranging from 4.19 to 5.98 m2/g. Optical bandgap results indicated that while CaTiO3 and SrTiO3 had bandgap energies close to 3 eV, Sr0.5Ca0.5TiO3 yielded a lower bandgap energy of 2.6 eV. Cyclic voltammetry tests, measured in 0.1 M sodium nitrite, showed oxidation peaks occurring at 0.58 V applied voltage. The highest peak current was observed in Sr0.5Ca0.5TiO3 powder. The superior electrocatalytic performance of Sr0.5Ca0.5TiO3 might be attributed to lower bandgap energy, which consequently facilitates higher electron transfer. Electrocatalytic performance of Sr0.5Ca0.5TiO3 was subsequently reexamined in a wider concentration range of sodium nitrite. The results revealed that the material responded linearly to nitrite solution in the range of 0.1 mM to 0.1 M and exhibited sensitivity ranging from 3.117 to 0.040 μA/mM, in the entire tested nitrite concentrations. The results suggest that Sr0.5Ca0.5TiO3 could also be used for nitrite detection.

Although barium titanate (BaTiO3) shows prominent dielectric properties for fabricating electronic devices, its utilization in electrochemical applications is limited. Thus, this study examined the potential of a BaTiO3-based composite in the detection of a food additive, i.e., citric acid. First, a submicron-scale BaTiO3 powder was synthesized using the solution combustion method. Then, a BaTiO3/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite was hydrothermally synthesized at BaTiO3:MWCNT mass ratios of 1:1 and 2:1. This composite was used as a working electrode in a nonenzymatic sensor to evaluate its electrocatalytic activity. Cyclic voltammetric measurements revealed that the BaTiO3/MWCNT composite (2:1) exhibited the highest electrocatalytic activity. Reduction reactions were observed at applied voltages of approximately 0.02 and −0.67 V, whereas oxidation reactions were detected at −0.65 and 0.47 V. With acceptable sensitivity, decent selectivity, and fair stability, the BaTiO3/MWCNT composite (2:1) showed good potential for citric acid detection.