Electrochemical system designed on a copper tape platform as a nonenzymatic glucose sensor

• A simple technique presents for the prototype construction of electrochemical system based on galvanic reaction. • The three electrode system constructed on copper tape as platform. • The system shows sensitive behavior for glucose determination in serum sample. The electrochemical glucose sensors have an essential role in the control of diabetes since they bring a simple, economic, accurate, rapid response, and reliable method for the detection of glucose and act as a useful diagnostic tool in the various real samples. This work describes the use of economic and prototyping technique based on copper tape as a cost-effective platform to develop flexible and straightforward glucose sensors. In this technique, the galvanic replacement reaction that is a cheap, instrument-free, and reproducible technique, was applied to provide the nanostructural silver coat on copper tape (Ag-CuT) for preparation of working electrode, silver-counter electrode, and Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Three-electrode configuration was patterned on a hydrophobic self-adhesive glossy paper using a laser cutter; then, copper-based electrodes were stuck on the patterned glossy paper. This electrochemical system was used in developing an enzyme-free sensor for glucose detection. The flexible sensing platform shows excellent electro-catalytic activity toward the oxidation of glucose. The proposed flexible electrochemical sensor (f-ES) offers a wide linear range from 3 μM to 3300 μM with a high sensitivity of 4610 μA mM −1 cm −2 and acceptable reproducibility. Given the facile, economical, reliability, and prototype nature of the technique, it has the potentials for application in wearable or portable glucose sensors.