Electrolytically fabricated nickel microrods on screen printed graphite electrodes: Electro-catalytic oxidation of alcohols

Nickel modified graphite screen printed electrodes are explored towards the sensing of alcohols in alkaline solutions. Electrolytically formed nickel microrods with average lengths and diameters of 12 mu M and 2 mu M respectively are shown to be readily formed on the surfaces of graphite screen printed electrodes. This is the first example of electrolytically formed nickel nanorods which exhibit electro-catalysis towards the sensing of ethanol over the range 2.6-23 mM and glycol over the range 230-1840 mu M with limits of detection of 1.4 mM and 186 mu M respectively.