Ultrasonic electrodeposition of platinum nanoflowers and their application in nonenzymatic glucose sensors

In the present study, Pt nanoflowers were fabricated on the bare Au electrodes by using template-free ultrasonic electrodeposition method. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray detector as well as X-ray diffraction were used for the characterization. It was found that Pt nanoflowers were composed of metallic Pt. The electrocatalytic properties of the Pt nanoflowers electrode for glucose oxidation were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) results showed that the Pt nanoflowers electrode exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards glucose oxidation in neutral media. Differential pulse voltammograms (DPVs) results showed that at +0.03 V, the sensitivity of the electrode to glucose oxidation was 1.87 μA cm−2 mM−1 with a linear range from 1 mM to 16 mM and detection limit of 48 μM (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). In addition, the nonenzymatic glucose sensors exhibited excellent selectivity, stability and repeatability.