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Preparation of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide and its use in a glassy carbon electrode for sensing 4-nitrophenol at nanomolar levels

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Abstract

We describe a novel procedure for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO). It is based on the thermal reduction of GO (dispersed in water) with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate that acts as both the reducing agent and the source for nitrogen. The surface morphology of the N-rGO is characterized using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was carried out to study the composition of their surface, and Raman spectroscopy was performed to study the level of doping with nitrogen and the structural order. The N-rGO was deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and the resulting electrode utilized as a sensing platform for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The modified GCE exhibits a well-defined oxidation peak current that is about ten times larger when compared to that of a bare GCE. The electron transfer number, proton transfer number and electron transfer rate constant (ks 1.046 s−1) were determined. At optimized conditions, the oxidation peak current is linearly related to the concentration of 4-NP in the 20–500 nM range, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9917. The detection limit (at an SNR of 3) is 7 nM. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of waters spiked with 4-NP. Recoveries range from 97.8 to 102.6 %, and no interferences are found for common inorganic cations and anions.

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Acknowledgements

One of the authors (K. Giribabu) wish to thank Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, for the financial assistance in the form of INSPIRE fellowship (Inspire Fellow no :10226) under the AORC scheme. Authors thank National Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NCNSNT), University of Madras, for recording HR-TEM and XPS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Maraimalai Campus, Chennai, 600025, India

    Krishnamoorthy Giribabu, Ranganathan Suresh, Ramadoss Manigandan, Sivakumar Praveen Kumar, Selvamani Muthamizh, Settu Munusamy & Vengidusamy Narayanan

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  1. Krishnamoorthy Giribabu
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  2. Ranganathan Suresh
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  3. Ramadoss Manigandan
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  4. Sivakumar Praveen Kumar
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  5. Selvamani Muthamizh
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  6. Settu Munusamy
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  7. Vengidusamy Narayanan
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Correspondence to Vengidusamy Narayanan.

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Giribabu, K., Suresh, R., Manigandan, R. et al. Preparation of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide and its use in a glassy carbon electrode for sensing 4-nitrophenol at nanomolar levels. Microchim Acta 181, 1863–1870 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-014-1251-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-014-1251-4

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