Single crystalline 3C-SiC whiskers used for electrochemical detection of nitrite under neutral condition

A new kind of nitrite sensor based on 3C-SiC whisker electrode was fabricated to electrochemically determine nitrite. Powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscopy reveal SiC whiskers are cubic single crystalline with some microtwins. The prepared SiC whisker electrode is examined for the electrochemical detection of nitrite under neutral condition using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. The results demonstrate that SiC whisker electrode fast responses toward nitrite with a detection limit of 3.5 × 10 −6 mol L −1 , which is comparable to the values reported in the recent literatures. The synthesized electrode is also successfully applied to determine nitrite in tap water.