Controllable synthesis of NiCo 2 O 4 nanoparticles supported on MnO 2 nanowires with excellent oxidase-mimicking performance

A one dimensional (1D) hierarchical structure with hybrid components is extremely attractive for catalytic application considering the integrated properties and synergistic effect of its individual components. In this work, an effective approach combined with a hydrothermal reaction, water bath deposition, and post-calcination treatment is developed to decorate NiCo 2 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) on MnO 2 nanowires (NWs), leading to the formation of 1D hierarchical heterostructures as efficient oxidase mimics for the detection of glutathione. The oxidase catalytic activity of the as-prepared MnO 2 @NiCo 2 O 4 composites is much higher than that of individual NiCo 2 O 4 NPs and MnO 2 NWs because of the synergistic effect between the two components. Owing to the superior catalytic efficiency of the prepared MnO 2 @NiCo 2 O 4 nanowires, a colorimetric route for the rapid and accurate detection of glutathione has been developed. This shows that the 1D hierarchical MnO 2 @NiCo 2 O 4 composites as catalytic materials potentially have a good application prospect.