Facile preparation of copper-based amorphous/crystalline heterophase nanocatalysts and their applications as efficient non-enzymatic biosensors

The development of efficient nonenzymatic catalysts for the electro-oxidation of glucose is vital for glucose biosensors. Herein, we report the preparation of a branch-structured catalyst comprising an amorphous/crystalline heterophase made from AuCu alloy shells and Cu 2 O cores (Cu 2 O@a/c-AuCu). The Cu 2 O@a/c-AuCu catalyst exhibits a good electrocatalytic activity for the electro-oxidation of glucose. The Cu 2 O@a/c-AuCu-based glucose biosensor shows a high sensitivity (345 μA mM −1 cm −2 ) and a wide concentration detection range (0.1-10 mM). The glucose detection accuracy of the Cu 2 O@a/c-AuCu sensor in animal serum was consistent with that of the commercial glucometer. The outcomes of this work offer insights for constructing alloy-based heterophase nanocatalysts for biosensing and biological applications. A branch-shaped nanocatalyst consisting of amorphous/crystalline heterophase AuCu alloy was efficiently synthesized and utilized for the high-performance detection of glucose.