The supercapacitive properties of synthesized nickel phthalocyanine multiwalled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite on a glassy carbon electrode (NiPcMWCNTs-GCE) in four different electrolytes were investigated. The successful synthesis of the NiPcMWCNTs nanocomposite was confirmed by UV/vis electrode spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, EDX, and XRD techniques. The supercapacitive behaviors of the modified electrodes were examined in PBS, H2SO4, Na2SO4, and SAB electrolytes via CV and EIS techniques. The highest specific capacitance of 6.80 F g−1 was achieved for the GCE-NiPcMWCNTs electrode in 5 mM [Fe(CN)6]4−/3− prepared in 0.1 M PBS (pH 7). Charge transfer resistance Rct values of 0.06, 0.36, 0.61, and 1.98 kΩ were obtained for the GCE-NiPcMWCNTs in H2SO4, SAB, Na2SO4, and PBS electrolytes, respectively. Power density values, otherwise known as the “knee” frequency f°, of 21.2, 6.87, 2.22, and 1.68 Hz were also obtained for GCE-NiPcMWCNTs in H2SO4, Na2SO4, PBS, and SAB electrolytes, respectively. GCE-NiPcMWCNTs demonstrated the fastest electron transport capability and the highest power density in H2SO4 compared to the other electrolytes. Hence, GCE-NiPcMWCNTs-modified electrodes had high stability, high energy and power densities, and a large specific capacitance.

The application of potassium bromate in the baking industry is used in most parts of the world to avert the human health compromise that characterizes bromates carcinogenic effect. Herein, various methods of its analysis, especially the electrochemical methods of bromate detection, were extensively discussed. Amperometry (AP), cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV), electrochemiluminescence (ECL), differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are the techniques that have been deployed for bromate detection in the last two decades, with 50%, 23%, 7.7%, 7.7%, 7.7% and 3.9% application, respectively. Despite the unique electrocatalytic activity of metal phthalocyanine (MP) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs), only few sensors based on MP and CQDs are available compared to the conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), metal (oxide) and graphene-based sensors. This review emboldens the underutilization of CQDs and metal phthalocyanines as sensing materials and briefly discusses the future perspective on MP and CQDs application in bromate detection via EIS.

Cobalt phthalocyanine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CoPc-MWCNTs), a nanocomposite, are extraordinary electrochemical sensing materials. This material has attracted growing interest owing to its unique physicochemical properties. Notably, the metal at the center of the metal phthalocyanine structure offers an enhanced redox-active behavior used to design solid electrodes for determining varieties of analytes. This review extensively discusses current developments in CoPc-MWCNTs nanocomposites as potential materials for electrochemical sensors, along with their different fabrication methods, modifying electrodes, and the detected analytes. The advantages of CoPc-MWCNTs nanocomposite as sensing material and its future perspectives are carefully reviewed and discussed.

A sensitive bromate sensor was developed using nickel phthalocyanine multi-walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite modified on a glassy carbon electrode. The NiPcMWCNTs nanocomposite was prepared from nickel nanoparticles, phthalocyanine, and functionalized MWCNTs via ultrasonication. UV–visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, TEM, and EDX techniques were used to verify the successful fabrication of the nanomaterials. The results of the EIS and CV experiments conducted in 5 mM K3(Fe(CN)6/K4(Fe(CN)6 made in 0.1 M of PBS (pH 7) revealed that the NiPcMWCNTs/GCE exhibited higher current response, faster electron transfer, and high specific capacitance compared to other electrodes. The electrochemical reduction of bromate was actualized in 0.1 M H2SO4 (pH 1) using EIS and SWV techniques. Using the EIS technique, an LoD of 6.72 μM was obtained with a sensitivity of 483.7 μA μM−1 over a linear dynamic range (LDR) of 24–100 μM. Whereas, with the SWV technique, a lower LoD (1.47 μM) was obtained with a higher sensitivity (1293 μA μM−1) over an LDR of 12–56 μM. The developed sensor was characterized by good selectivity, high stability (95.5%), and good reproducibility (% RSD; 3.5%). The fabricated sensor was effectively used to detect bromate in bread samples with a good recovery rate, demonstrating the practical application of the sensor to detect bromate in real samples (bread).