Electrochemical Conversion of Copper‐Based Hierarchical Micro/Nanostructures to Copper Metal Nanoparticles and Their Testing in Nitrate Sensing

Abstract

Metallic copper nanoparticles (CuNP) are formed from the reduction of hierarchical copper-based micro/nanostructures previously electrodeposited on polypyrrole-polystyrene sulfonate (PPy-PSS) thin films. The application of a high reduction potential causes the erosion of the micro/nanostructures nanosheets and the formation of CuNP. The CuNP are used in a series of preliminary tests in order to assess their performance in the sensing of nitrate. The sensing performance is improved with the introduction of polyethyleneimine-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT-PEI) to the PPy-PSS films. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies show that the nanotubes increased the electronic conductivity of the reduced films. The limit of detection of the PPy-PSS-MWNT-PEI-CuNP nanocomposite is 30 mM nitrate. The materials need further development and optimization work in order to be applied as sensors.

Corrosion protection of copper using polypyrrole electrosynthesised from a salicylate solution

“…Again, Q values computed were relatively constant, varying between 4 and 6 mF/cm 2 . These high capacitance values are in good agreement with the charge storage ability typically displayed by polypyrrole films [12,15,[42][43][44].…”

Copper nano-clusters prepared by one-step electrodeposition and its application on nitrate sensing

“…11,12 A lot of work has been published in discussing the synthesis, characterization and application of copper nanoparticles. [13][14][15] However, the reported synthetic methods based on reduction with hydrazine in ethylene glycol under microwave irradiation, 16 the seed-mediated growth, 17 the pulsed electrodeposition 18 and deposition on some specific substrates such as carbon nanotubes 19 and boron-doped diamond electrodes 20 are still complex and time-consuming.…”

Techniques in Advancing the Capabilities of Various Nitrate Detection Methods: A Review

“…However, the conventional electrochemical cell is too massive to be a portable and durable device. Research into electrochemical systems for nitrate detection has followed several avenues [25][26][27]. This is due to the demand for portable devices for continuous monitoring of nitrate concentration in aqueous solutions.…”