Controlling crystal planes of biomass-derived carbon based Mo2C NPs and the electrochemical performance

The electrochemical property of Mo2C nanoparticles (NPs) depends on the structure and crystal planes. Herein, Mo2C nanoparticles were prepared and dispersed on carbon nanosheets by the construction of a biomass-derived carbon precursor, and the exposed dual crystal planes were also controlled by optimal conditions. The structure, compositions, and morphology of the carbon-based Mo2C were characterized, and the Mo2C NPs were well dispersed on the carbon nanosheets. The electrochemical study shows that optimal Mo2C exhibits excellent electrochemical properties for the oxidation of nicotine compared with other materials in the broad linear range of 0.2–300 μM. In particular, it displays a remarkable oxidation ability for the low-concentration nicotine (0.2–5 μM), and the detection limit is about 0.17 μM. Furthermore, the exposed dual crystal planes of Mo2C play a critical role in the oxidation. Notably, this characteristic of Mo2C NPs makes it possible to detect nicotine from the extracted solution and be used for chip electrodes to detect nicotine quickly via wireless response, which exhibits actual application prospects for portable detection. The results indicate that the as-prepared Mo2C material could be effective and low-cost for nicotine analysis in the sectors of health management and medical fields.