Fabrication of hierarchically porous carbon networks for the electrochemical determination of superoxide anion released from living cells

Realizing the quantitative detection of superoxide anions (O-2(center dot-)) is of great significance to the pathological research based on the correlation between O-2(center dot-) and many diseases. Currently, the main challenge for O-2(center dot-) electrochemical detection in the actual sample is the development of effective nano-mimetic materials to replace natural enzymes to achieve high-selectivity detection of O-2(center dot-). In this work, hierarchically porous carbon networks (HPCN) were successfully prepared through 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB)-induced self-assembly and carbonization strategy. Owing to the introduction of TMB, HPCN obtains the changed morphology, enriched pore structure, and improved defect degree, which promotes mass transfer and leads to faster electron transfer efficiency. Therefore, the non-enzymatic O-2(center dot-) electrochemical sensor fabricated with HPCN (denoted as HPCN/SPCE) exhibits high sensitivity (607.4 mu A cm(-2) mM(-1)) and excellent selectivity for detecting O-2(center dot-). Importantly, the sensor successfully achieved the dynamic monitor of O-2(center dot-) released from living cells and has the potential to distinguish between cancer and normal cells.

Automated summary

The study successfully prepared hierarchically porous carbon networks (HPCN) through 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB)-induced self-assembly and carbonization strategy. The introduction of TMB led to changes in morphology, enriched pore structure, and improved defect degree in HPCN, promoting mass transfer and faster electron transfer efficiency. The non-enzymatic O-2(center dot-) electrochemical sensor fabricated with HPCN demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity, enabling dynamic monitoring of O-2(center dot-) released from living cells and potential distinguishing between cancer and normal cells.