In situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles on poly (L-arginine) modified glassy carbon electrode using poly (L-arginine) as reduction agent is reported. EDAX pattern suggests that the gold nanoparticles can be in situ synthesized on poly (L-arginine) modified glassy carbon electrode. SEM image shows that the gold nanoparticles are well dispersed on the surface of glassy carbon electrode. The as-synthesized gold nanoparticles show excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose. This strategy provides an in situ approach to prepare gold nanoparticles modified electrode using poly (amino acid) as reduction agent for sensor and catalytic applications.The synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has received considerable attention due to its optical, electronic and catalytic properties. 1,2 The modification of AuNPs on the electrode can bring high active electrode surface area and good conductivity, which enable a wide range of potential applications including fuel cells, 3 and electrochemical sensors such as non-enzymatic glucose sensors 4-6 and enzymatic glucose biosensors. 7-9 Now, there are a number of synthesis methods for obtaining AuNPs such as electrochemical, photoirradiation, ultrasonic irradiation and seed mediated growth processes. 10 These methods can be divided into two categories depending on whether the nanoparticles are grown in a non-polar organic medium or a polar medium such as water. 11 The synthesis of AuNPs in a non-polar medium is generally prepared via reduction of HAuCl 4 by NaBH 4 or citrate in the presence of a stabilizer containing at least one -NH 2 or -SH group. 12 On the other hand, water-soluble AuNPs have long been synthesized by reduction of HAuCl 4 using citrate in aqueous solution. 13 Recently, the water-dispersible AuNPs were synthesized by reduction of HAuCl 4 using amino acids in aqueous solution. Selvakannan et al. reported that the water-dispersible AuNPs prepared by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions using tryptophan. 14 Wangoo et al. demonstrated that synthesis of a stable gold hydrosol by using glutamic acid as reduction agent. 12 The other amino acids, such as L-arginine, L-lysine, L-aspartic acid and L-tyrosine, were also used as reduction agent to synthesis of water-dispersible AuNPs. 11,15 L-arginine is a well-known amino acid, which can be easily electropolymerized on electrode surface to form a poly (L-arginine) (PLA) film. 16,17 PLA polymer cannot only bear amino groups but also provide the matrix bridges. 18,19 In this study, we report an in situ synthesis of AuNPs on PLA modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using PLA as reduction agent. The AuNPs on the modified electrode were characterized by EDAX and SEM. The electrocatalytic activity of the synthesized AuNPs for glucose oxidation in alkaline solution was also evaluated.
ExperimentalReagents.-All the reagents were bought from local commercial sources with analytical grade. 0.2 M Na 2 HPO 4 and 0.2 M NaH 2 PO 4 solutions were mixed to form a phosphate (PP) buffer solution (0.2 M...