Gold nanorods on three-dimensional nickel foam: a non-enzymatic glucose sensor with enhanced electro-catalytic performance

We developed a non-enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensor with a unique three dimensional network structure by combining Ni foam with Au nanorods (Au NRs) on its surface (Au NRs/Ni). Electrochemical measurements revealed that the Au NRs/Ni foam exhibits very high sensitivity with a linear slope of 5.27 mA mM(-1) cm(-2) for glucose detection, better than the Ni foam electrode and most of the reported electrodes. And its linear dynamic range is also broader than the Ni foam electrode. Moreover, upon light excitation of the localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the Au NRs, light-enhanced electrochemical activities are observed from the Au NRs/Ni foam, suggesting the possibility of modifying electrochemical sensors by surface plasmon resonance. These results highlight the potentials of the Au NRs/Ni foam electrode in practical glucose monitoring and plasmonic effects in photoelectrochemical sensing.