Amperometric sensor for ascorbic acid based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with gold-silver bimetallic nanotubes in a chitosan matrix

We report on an amperometric sensor for ascorbic acid (AA) that is based on highly dense gold-silver nanotubes in a chitosan film on a glassy carbon electrode. The nanotubes were synthesized by a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-mediated polyol method employing a replacement reaction with silver nanowires as templates, and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor exhibits good electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of AA, and this enables the determination of AA in the 5 mu M to 2 mM concentration range, with a detection limit at 2 mu M (at an S/N of 3). The response time is 2 s. The sensor displays good reproducibility, selectivity, sensitivity, and long-term stability.