The Synthesis of Functional Cobalt Oxide Nanostructures, and their Sensitive Glucose Sensing Application

In this study, a novel approach is adapted for the synthesis of new nanostructures of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) by low temperature aqueous chemical growth method in the presence of water soluble amino acids such as L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, Lserine and L-threonine. The synthesized nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The nanostructures exhibit well defined morphology and are of high purity. To explore the potential application of the prepared nanostructures of cobalt oxide, the non-enzymatic glucose sensor is developed by modifying the glassy carbon electrode. Serine assisted cobalt oxide nanostructures showed excellent sensitivity of 4169.00 mu A/mMcm(2), wide linear range of 0.01 mM to 20 mM and detection limit was estimated as 0.001 mM (S/N= 3). The analytical parameters for the serine assisted cobalt oxide nanostructures based glucose sensor were evaluated and it was found that the sensor is highly selective, reproducible, repeatable, reversible, and stable. Finally, the practical application of the serine assisted cobalt oxide nanostructures based glucose sensor was examined by measuring the glucose concentrations from real human blood samples.