Fabrication of highly stable silver nanoparticles with shape-dependent electrochemical efficacy

• Published in: Electrochimica acta 2018-05, Vol.271, p.641-651
• Main Authors: Waqas, Muhammad, Zulfiqar, Anam, Ahmad, Hafiz Badaruddin, Akhtar, Naeem, Hussain, Mazhar, Shafiq, Zahid, Abbas, Yasir, Mehmood, Khalid, Ajmal, Muhammad, Yang, Minghui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ascorbic acid; Catalysis; Diabetes mellitus; Diffusion; Dopamine; Electrocatalysis; Electrochemical sensor; Electrodes; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen peroxide sensor; Monitoring; Multipoles; Nanoparticles; Organic chemistry; Organic compounds; Plasmons; Potassium sulfate; Poultry; Sensors; Silver; Silver nanoparticles; Sodium chloride; Sodium sulfate; Surface defects; Uric acid
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.03.049

Design of effective and efficient nanoscale sensor for the selective monitoring of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in environmental samples is of great requirement to avoid several diseases; not only but also include diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, aging and Alzheimer. Herein, we report the fabrication of highly stable silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with three different phases (i.e spherical (Sp), star (St) and pyramidal (Py)) via simple wet chemical approach. Among all the three phases, St-Ag-NPs with more exposed catalytic active sites, poor dipolar non-radiative plasmons multipoles and large number of surface defects which in turn enhance ion(s) diffusion between electrode-electrolyte interfaces; shows highest performance in terms of linear range, limit of detection and sensitivity. We observe no interference between electro-active organic compounds (ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), dopamine (DA) and glucose) and inorganic (NaCl, KCl, Na2SO4 and K2SO4) species on the as-fabricated St-Ag-NPs based electrode. Furthermore, We were able to account for the amount of H2O2 generated in the discharged water (effluent) from a poultry firm using the designed St-Ag-NPs based electrode over a wide linear range (∼5 mM) in the presence of co-existing electro-active species. These results show reliability of our designed electrode as useful sensing materials for the detection and monitoring of H2O2 mismanagement in an immediate environment. Highly stable silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with three different shapes (i.e spherical (Sp), star (St) and pyramidal (Py)) have been synthesized via simple wet chemical approach. Among all the three shapes, St-Ag-NPs with more exposed catalytic active sites and fast diffusion of ions between electrode-electrolyte interfaces showed highest electrocatalytic sensing efficacy in terms of linear range, limit of detection and sensitivity. Further, the designed electrode has been successfully applied to monitor H2O2 level in poultry water over a wide linear range, with good recycling assay even in the presence of co-existing electro-active species. [Display omitted] •Controlled fabrication of the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with three different shapes including spherical (Sp), star (St) and pyramidal (Py).•St-Ag-NPs with highly exposed active sites {111} along with high surface defect offer fast transportation of electrons for the sensitive monitoring of H2O2.•St-Ag-NPs offer wide linear range (0.5–28 mM) compared to Sp-Ag-NPs (0