Biconcave Bi₂WO₆ Nanoparticles for UV Light-Activated Detection of Nicotine in Human Sweat and Cigarette Samples

Abstract

We report a single-step hydrothermal synthesis of morphologically engineered biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) biconcave-shaped Bi 2 WO 6-nanostructures for photo-enhanced ultrasensitive determination of nicotine in human sweat and cigarette samples. Detailed characterization reveals the formation of orthorhombic, red blood cell-mimicking Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles. The average diameter of the biconcave Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles ranged from 50 to 100 nm. The fabricated sensor displayed a sensitivity of 56.97 ± 2 μM −1 in the wide linear range of 50 nM− 100 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 13 nM (3σ) when exposed to nicotine. An enhanced sensitivity of 83.23 ± 1 μM −1 and a reduced LOD of 0.9 nM in the presence of UV light can be attributed to the outstanding sensing response of nicotine in the presence of UV light due to the synergistic−catalytic and photoresponsive properties of large-surface-area Bi 2 WO 6 nanostructures. The photoinduced oxygen ions react with the adsorbed oxygen atoms assisting in the formation of O 2− ions, which further contributes to the enhanced interaction with nicotine. The sensor displayed excellent selectivity toward nicotine in the presence of interferences and was robust to bending conditions, thus bolstering its practical applicability. Further, the sensor was employed in determining the unknown concentrations of nicotine in sweat and commercially available cigarettes. The strategy employed here expands the scope of photo-activated flexible nanoelectronic devices to develop affordable platforms for sensing various bioanalytes.

Large‐Size Ultrathin α‐Ga2S3 Nanosheets toward High‐Performance Photodetection

“…[ 13 ] Inspired by graphene, research efforts have been triggered in more 2D layered structures of elements other than carbon. These graphene analogues of the layered materials, e.g., transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) (e.g., MoS 2 , [ 14,15 ] WS 2 , [ 16 ] and WSe 2 [ 17 ] ), III A –VI A group compounds (e.g., GaS, [ 18 ] GaSe, [ 19 ] and In 2 Se 3 [ 20 ] ) and IV A –VI A group semiconductors (SnS 2 , [ 21 ] and SnSe 2 [ 22 ] ), have emerged as potential applications in photodetectors, [ 19 ] field effect transistors (FETs), [ 14 ] and flexible devices. [ 18 ]…”

An ultra high performance, lead-free Bi2WO6:P(VDF-TrFE)-based triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered sensors and smart electronic applications

“…XRD spectra recorded over a 2y range of 201 to 851 for Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles were obtained in Fig. S2(a 18 The synthesized nanoparticles possess a layer type structure of (Bi 2 O 2 ) n 2+ and (WO 4 ) n 2À along the c-axis, which is described in the crystal structure as shown in Fig. 2(b).…”

“…Motivated by the excellent surface area and electrochemical properties of the synthesized biconcave Bi 2 WO 6 , the nanoparticles were used as a pH sensor. 18 0.5 mL of the prepared solutions of various pH levels were spiked subsequently on the optimized wt% of Bi 2 WO 6 -coated PET) pH sensor and the corresponding change in current was measured. Fig.…”

“…Finally, the colourless solution was cleaned using successive washing with ethanol and water and oven drying at 70 1C for 1 h. The synthesis procedure is similar to the recent report published from our lab. 18…”

“…Direct band gap bismuth tungstate (Bi 2 WO 6 ) was adopted due to its remarkable chemical, physical and mechanical properties like high photo-catalytic activity, narrow band gap (B3 eV), high dielectric constant (80), swift and long range charge separation, etc. [17][18][19] Highly crystalline Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles were synthesized using a cost-effective hydrothermal route. A biconcave Bi 2 WO 6 -incorporated P(VDF-TrFE) nanofiber mat was electrospun over an aluminium (Al)coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) collector.…”