Integration of Triphenylene-Based Conductive Metal–Organic Frameworks into Carbon Nanotube Electrodes for Boosting Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensing

The rational design and preparation of conductive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are alluring and challenging pathways to develop active catalysts toward electrocatalytic glucose oxidation. The hybridization of conductive MOFs with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the form of a composite can greatly improve the electrocatalytic performance. Herein, a facile one-step synthetic strategy is utilized to fabricate a Ni3(HHTP)2/CNT (HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene) composite for nonenzymatic detection of glucose in an alkaline solution. The Ni3(HHTP)2/CNT composite, as an electrochemical glucose sensor material, exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity toward glucose oxidation with a wide detection range of up to 3.9 mM, a low detection limit of 4.1 μM (signal/noise = 3), a fast amperometric response time of <2 s, and a high sensitivity of 4774 μA mM–1 cm–2, surpassing the performance of some recently reported nonenzymatic transition-metal-based glucose sensors. In addition, the composite sensor also shows outstanding selectivity, robust long-term electrochemical stability, favorable anti-interference properties, and good reproducibility. This work displays the effectiveness of enhancing the electrocatalytic performance toward glucose detection by combing conductive MOFs with CNTs, thereby opening up an applicable and encouraging approach for the design of advanced nonenzymatic glucose sensors.