Glucose sensing performance of CuO nanoparticles and indium tin oxide surface modification on potassium-doped ZnO nanorods

•Potassium-doped zinc oxide nanorods were investigated for glucose sensing.•Indium tin oxide nanoparticles can electrochemically activate glucose oxidase.•The electrode material has high sensitivity and selectivity to glucose. Heterojunction with potassium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles with indium tin oxide (ITO) modification for glucose detecting applications were studied in detail. Energy band structure of p-p heterojunction enhances the current during the adsorption of glucose. CuO nanoparticles with better catalytic activity and ITO nanoparticles with high electrical conductivity improve the sensing current to a higher value. The ITO/CuO nanoparticles/ZnO:K nanorods working electrode has high sensitivity of 277.3 μAmM−1 cm−2 and superior anti-interference ability towards detection of glucose. Synthesis process is simple, inexpensive, and with no enzyme.