Hydrogen peroxide sensing using ultrathin platinum-coated gold nanoparticles with core@shell structure

Ultrathin platinum-coated gold (Pt@Au) nanoparticles with core@shell structure have been developed by under-potential deposition (UPD) redox replacement technique. A single UPD Cu replacement with Pt2+ produced a uniform Pt monolayer on the surface of gold nanoparticles, which are immobilized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface based on electrostatic interaction. The ultrathin Pt@Au nanoparticles were confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Voltammetry and amperometric methodologies were used to evaluate the electrocatalytic activity of the Pt@Au nanoparticles modified electrode towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide under the physiological condition. The present results show that ultrathin Pt coating greatly enhances the electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, which can be utilized to fabricate the hydrogen peroxide sensor. Chronoamperometric experiments showed that at an applied potential of 0.08 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), the current reduction of hydrogen peroxide was linear to its concentration in the range of 1-450 mu M, and the detection limit was found to be 0.18 mu M (signal-to-noise ratio, S/N=3). (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.