Fabrication of an electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticles functionalized polypyrrole nanotubes for the highly sensitive detection of l-dopa

[Display omitted] •Nanotubular form of polypyrrole has been prepared using self-degraded template.•Gold nanoparticles added polypyrrole nanotubes provide good conductivity and surface area.•AuNP/PPy/ modified GCE showed excellent electrocatalytic performance for L-dopa oxidation. Polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes were obtained by using methyl orange and FeCl3 as self-degraded template. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles (AuPs) were deposited on the PPy nanoutbes by electrochemical method. The as-prepared PPy-AuNPs hybrid composite was studied by different physical and electrochemical characterizations. The PPy-AuNPs was coated over the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) where shows a well electrochemical activity for l-dopa detection in term of lower detection limit (0.075 μM), less oxidation potential (380 mV), good stability and reproducibility. The modified electrode was successfully utilized for detection of l-dopa in real samples.