Black phosphorus nanosheets-based effective electrochemical sensor for uric acid detection

Black phosphorus (BP) is incorporated in the electrochemical detection of uric acid (UA) to form few layers of BP nanosheets (BPNS)-modified glassy carbon electrodes (BPNS/GCE), investigated by means of ultrasound-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation. We find a significant increase in the peak current magnitude and positive potential shift in the electrochemical response of BPNS/GCE, which may be attributed to the larger specific surface area and good charge transfer ability of BPNS. Further, the electrochemical response of BPNS/GCE is evaluated under different conditions to achieve the optimal conditions. UA detection using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) shows linear response within the range of 1-1000 & mu;M with a detection limit of 0.33 & mu;M. This work reveals new applications of BP nanomaterials in the electrochemical sensing, thereby promoting further advancement in terms of practical applications of two-dimensional nanomaterials.