Reduced Graphene Oxide Impregnated Antimony Nanoparticle Sensor for Electroanalysis of Platinum Group Metals

Abstract

A very sensitive electrochemical sensor based on a reduced graphene oxide film impregnated with antimony nanoparticles was prepared and applied to the electroanalysis of platinum group metal ions of Pd(II), Pt(II) and Rh(III). The electrochemical behavior of platinum group metals at the modified electrode was studied by adsorptive differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry in the presence of dimethylglyoxime as chelating agent. Several operational parameters were optimised to enhance the electroanalytical performance of the modified glassy carbon electrode sensor. The results showed sharp stripping peaks and a relatively constant peak potential with a good linear behaviour in the examined concentration range from 40 to 400 pg L−1 for all metal ions investigated. The detection limit was found to be 0.45, 0.49 and 0.49 pg L−1 (S/N=3) for Pd(II), Pt(II) and Rh(III), respectively. The developed electrochemical sensor also exhibited good precision with a relative standard deviation of 4.2 %, 2.55 % and 2.67 % for 5 successive measurements for Pd(II), Pt(II) and Rh(III), respectively. The proposed nanostructure showed good sensitivity and stability, which has promising potential applications in electrochemical sensors.

Determination of Pd(II) using an antimony film coated on a screen-printed electrode by adsorptive stripping voltammetry

“…Regarding the determination of Pd(II) with other antimony-based electrode contributions, a glassy carbon electrode modified with a composite of reduced graphene oxide impregnated with antimony nanoparticles (GCE/rGO-SbNPs) [25] provides a detection limit of 0.45 pg L -1 , which are considerable lower that the LOD obtained in this study. However, the examined concentration range using GCE/rGO-SbNPs is severely restricted to extremely low concentrations (40-400 pg L -1 ) and the repeatability is again significantly worse (4.2 %).…”

“…Nevertheless, studies devoted to the application of antimony-based electrodes for analysis of Pd(II) are really scarce. In fact, from the best of our knowledge, only a glassy carbon electrode modified with a composite of reduced graphene oxide impregnated with antimony nanoparticles was proposed for this purpose [25]; but the application of antimony coated on screen-printed electrodes (SbSPE) for the Pd(II) determination are not yet attempted. It is worth noting that SbSPE, unlike antimony coated on glassy carbon electrodes (SbGCE), do not require any pre-polishing and in particular Sb film coated on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SbSPCE) can be used for a large set of measurements using the same electrode unit [26].…”

Effect of pH on the Reduction of Graphene Oxide on its Structure and Oxygen Reduction Capabilities in the Alkaline Media

“…In many of the studies involving the hydrothermal reduction of GO, the pH of the solution is usually adjusted to around 9–10 before adding the reducing agent . This is also the case with many metal salts impregnated onto supports with sodium borohydride . There have been other studies, where graphene oxide has been reduced in an autoclave at different pH levels.…”

Graphene Oxide–Antimony Nanocomposite Sensor for Analysis of Platinum Group Metals in Roadside Soil Samples

“…Possible interfering ions of iron (Fe ) that are expected to co-exist in PGMs were also evaluated [26,40].…”