CuO/SnS2 Nanoparticles on PEDOT:PSS for Nonenzymatic Electrochemical Glucose Sensors

Metal dichalcogenide semiconductor and metal oxide–based sensors exhibit high electron-transfer rates and remarkable electrocatalytic performance for nonenzymatic glucose detection. Herein, a lightweight, ultrathin, and portable flexible sensor based on copper oxide/tin sulfide nanoparticles on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (CuO/SnS2 NP–PEDOT:PSS, CSPP) is presented for glucose detection at room temperature. The CuO/SnS2 NPs were synthesized via a hydrothermal method and incorporated into PEDOT:PSS for enhancing the electrical conductivity. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping confirm the formation of high-qualitative CuO NPs and SnS2 nanosheets embedded within the PEDOT:PSS matrix. The CSPP nanocomposites were dropped onto the working electrode of screen-printed graphite electrodes on a plastic substrate via a simple drop-casting method to produce the nonenzymatic glucose electrochemical sensor. The cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry results indicate that the CSPP electrochemical sensor exhibits good sensitivity and selectivity to glucose in a wide concentration range of 0–20 mM, providing a detection limit of 9.7 μM. The glucose-sensing mechanism based on the reduction of CSPP is proposed.