Mechanochemical synthesis of γ-CoTe2 nanocrystals and their application for determination of ferulic acid

The synthesis of the gamma-CoTe2 nanocrystals from a mixture of elemental Co and Te powders was achieved using a ball mill's mechanical energy for only 6 h. The characterization of structure, morphology, and magnetic properties of the synthesized powders utilized X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and magnetometry. Its application as an electrochemical sensor for the determination of ferulic was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The first 6 h of the milling time were enough to transform the starting powder mixtures, Co32Te68 and Co34Te66, in composites containing up to 86% of gamma-CoTe2 nanocrystals with effective sizes of about 25 nm (volume-weighted diameter size) and 13 nm (surfaceweighted 'true' crystallite size for an ellipsoidal domain shape). The explanation of the magnetometry results was based on simulations via Langevin models considering two magnetic counterparts: one superparamagnetic and other ferromagnetic (due to interacting/larger magnetic grains). The gamma-CoTe2 nanocrystals modified glassy carbon electrode (gamma-CoTe2/GCE) displayed outstanding sensing abilities concerning a wide linear range and one of the nethermost detection limits for ferulic acid compared to earlier reports. This excellent performance was extended to real cosmetic samples and is displayed as an alternative for quality control routines and/or real-time analysis without interfering with different components of serum lotions.

Automated summary

In this study, gamma-CoTe2 nanocrystals were successfully synthesized using a ball mill within a short time. The nanocrystals exhibited excellent sensing abilities for ferulic acid, making them a promising alternative for quality control and real-time analysis in cosmetic industry.