Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles in the Ordered Mesoporous Carbon (Cu@OMC) for Glucose Detection

A composite of copper nanoparticles or nanoclusters wrapped in ordered mesoporous carbon material (Cu@OMC), with a high specific surface area and large pore volume, was synthesized via a double-solvent method. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized material were comprehensively characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Based on the advantageous functions of Cu nanoparticles and OMC, the functional composite-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) demonstrated high electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of glucose. Thus, a non-enzymatic glucose sensor was constructed based on the Cu@OMC-modified GCE (Cu@OMC/GCE) due to the electrocatalytic activity of glucose. The proposed sensor exhibited appealing advantages of high sensitivity, anti-interference ability, rapid response, stability, and good reproducibility in the detection of glucose at an optimal potential of + 0.40 V, thus signaling the great potential of Cu@OMC in the development of reliable non-enzymatic glucose sensors.