Bi-functional sensing capability of gold multi-pod network nanostructures towards nitrite and guanine

[Display omitted] •A facile one-step synthetic protocol was developed for the green synthesis of Au multi-pod network nanostructures.•Au multi-pod network nanostructures demonstrates the better electrocatalytic and sensing properties than Au nanoparticles.•The present investigation supports the concept of size and shape dependent catalytic activity of Au nanostructures. A green and one-step preparation of Au multi-pod network nanostructures (AuMNNSs) and their enhanced electrocatalytic and sensing properties are reported in this paper. N-[3-Trimethoxysilyl)propyl]diethylenetriamine) (TPDT) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were employed for the preparation AuMNNSs. The TPDT acts as stabilizing agent and both CTAB and TPDT act as the structure directing agents. The AuMNNSs showed the better catalytic activity towards the electrooxidation of nitrite ions and guanine when compared to conventional Au nanoparticle (AuNPs) prepared in the presence of only TPDT. These results affirm that the size and shape are the prominent factors in controlling the catalytic activity of Au nanostructures (NSs). Moreover, the amperometric sensor designed using AuMNNSs showed experimental detection limits of 0.4 and 0.1 μM for nitrite ions and guanine, respectively, with excellent selectivity and the performance of present sensor was comparable or superior over already reported results. Further, the practical applicability of the present sensor was examined by detecting nitrite ions in water samples.